Gmail's 'summarize this email' feature could arrive on Android soon

What you need to know

• Gmail for Android is potentially getting a smart upgrade utilizing AI to provide summaries of long emails.
• The feature is powered by Gemini and is already available in the web version of Gmail, primarily aimed at users of the Gemini for Workspace suite.
• A dedicated option for Gemini has also been spotted within the three-dot menu in email threads, although it currently doesn't display any content.

Gmail on Android might soon pick up a smart upgrade to give you the lowdown on long emails using AI, saving you time digging for the important bits.

PiunikaWeb, in collaboration with AssembleDebug, uncovered a Summarize this email button in the Gmail app for Android. Clues pointing to this feature were hidden in version 2024.03.31.621006929 of the app.

Take a look at the screenshot below, where you can see the button, although it's not yet active.

This summarize button makes sense for long emails. It's powered by Gemini and is already present in the web version of Gmail, which is accessible to users of the Gemini for Workspace suite. So, it's not a huge surprise that it's making its way to the Android app.

But according to Google's support page, this feature is only applicable to email threads with more than two replies. Additionally, it's clear that the Workspace feature is primarily intended for enterprise use.

On the other hand, this new button on the mobile app seems like it might be for everyone. As shown in the screenshot above, the button pops up just under the subject line. However, since this feature is still in its infancy, tapping this button doesn't currently trigger any action.

Nevertheless, it's likely that the experience will mirror the same feature found in the web version of Gmail, where users with access to Gemini for Workspace can click on the Ask Gemini button within an email thread. This opens up a sidebar offering suggestions for the next action.

Besides the Summarize this email button, AssembleDebug has found a separate option specifically for Gemini within the three-dot menu inside email threads. However, tapping this button currently leads to an empty panel with no content.

Gemini has already showcased its versatility and is continuously growing, especially within other Google services, notably Workspace apps. We've recently caught wind of Gemini's influence in Gmail for Android with its reply suggestions feature. It's just a waiting game before intelligent summaries also become a part of the service.