Google is testing a self-destructing facility for Gmail
Google was recently in reports for working on a redesign of its Gmail service. Now it appears that aside from receiving an entirely new design, the email service will also apparently become much smarter with the “self-destructing” service. The search giant is reportedly working on a new feature that will allow users to compose an email message that self-destructs automatically. The latest facility will help individuals when it comes to configuring an expiration date with the emails that they don’t want to be available after a certain point in time. The company will go on to support numerous applications including Line, Signal and Snapchat to name a few. Notably, these applications also offer the same kind of service as Gmail will in some time. “The new feature is expected to help users configure an expiration date with the emails that they don’t want to be available after a certain time. Apps such as Line, Signal, and Snapchat already offer similar experience by letting users set a timer with a message that they want to disappear after a certain time,” an online report reads.
The latest feature had reportedly been spotted in numerous screenshots that were leaked by Tech Crunch. The screenshots claim that the newest function that includes the ability to self-destruct emails will be available in a particular ‘Confidential mode.’ The mode will reportedly prevent emails from getting forwarded to other platforms. Users will not be able to download the email message either. Other activities that cannot be carried out when it comes to the email service include the copy/paste and print option. Apart from this, individuals will be given an opportunity of whether they want to add a passcode or not. The passcode will go on to be generated by Google. The search giant is further expected to provide two-factor authentication for private messages as well.
According to a report published by Gadgets 360, Google will reportedly be providing different expiration periods for its self-destructing email services. The list will include a week, a month or even a year. Apart from this, since the mode appears within the compose screen itself, it won’t take a long time for users to make their email self-destructive. The most important aspect about the feature is that it is backward compatible with the existing Gmail version.
Several recipients of the self-destructing emails will end up receiving a link to view the confidential content. Apart from this, Google has also gone to notice that the recipients will be required to log onto their Google accounts once again to be able to view the email on their screens. The content of the emails in question will neither be copied nor pasted or even printed. However, there is no restriction regarding capturing the secret text or image by merely taking a screenshot.
The search giant has gone on to reveal more plans for bringing the self-destructing emails to Gmail in the recent past. On the similar line, the details that were first reported by Tech Crunch, go on to suggest that the new Confidential mode will be available to a select group of users. “It could come alongside the redesigned Gmail that has recently been showcased in the Early Adopter Program,” notes an online report. The company is further expected to bring a clean look of Gmail’s desktop version. Apart from this, the company is also likely to include the ability to snooze emails and make use of a Smart Replay feature on the Web interface as well. The refreshed version of the Gmail model will arrive with updated Gmail experience in the upcoming weeks.
