Google puts 'stock' email app in Google Play for select devices

By Jerry Hildenbrand
published

Google clearly likes to break things out of Android and put them onto Google Play. We've seen it before, more than once, even, and tonight we're seeing it done again with the "stock" email app (quotes intended).

It's the same email app anyone with KitKat would recognize, and the only devices that can install it already have "stock" KitKat installed — specifically Nexus devices and certain Google Play editions. For reasons unknown (for now, at least) the HTC One M7 Google Play edition and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play edition aren't able to download tonight's update.

We've no idea if this will be available for other devices in the future, but I have my doubts as OEM's all customize their "stock" email app experience. Anyhoo, if you've a Nexus or supported GPe phone, your link to download things and break yet another app out of the OS is up top.

Thanks, PynkFloydd!

Jerry Hildenbrand
Jerry Hildenbrand
Senior Editor — Google Ecosystem

Jerry is an amateur woodworker and struggling shade tree mechanic. There's nothing he can't take apart, but many things he can't reassemble. You'll find him writing and speaking his loud opinion on Android Central and occasionally on Twitter.

63 Comments
  • Google's email is the first thing I disable once I root the phone.
  • Unless you want to read work email on your phone like the majority of us. Posted via Android Central App
  • When my employer pays my phone bill I'll let them push email to my phone. Not until then though. Lol
  • Same here. Current explorer uses Google hosted email. I refused to put work account on my phone, they paid nothing towards me buying my phone, pay nothing towards monthly fees. So I use the plain email app so I can send email on rare occasions, but I don't download or read work email on it.
  • You guys know the email app isnt only for work related accounts right?
  • I am not them, but yes they clearly do.
  • It can also access Outlook.com email, but there's an official Outlook.com app that already does that with much better integration. Yahoo Mail also has its own app. Are there people still using email issued by their ISP? The "Email" app is close to useless.
  • I find the Outlook app to be kind of annoying and I love keeping all my apps with similar design language. So I love Google's stock Email app. But I can't get the new one from the Play Store working :-/
  • You all sound like wonderful employees with a bright future.
  • You don't need root your phone to disable google's email
  • That's funny, because I'm just the opposite - the GMail app is the first I disable. I have three e-mail addresses I need to monitor, and the stock e-mail app handles them all perfectly.
  • I wonder if this can be installed on the LG G2 from Verizon. I have a few coworkers that have a miserable time withe their G2 inability to reliably check Exchange email and calendar. This has been broken in the G2 for quite some months. The Enhanced Email app is a fix for the G2 Exchange email problem but I don't know of a fix for the calendar.
  • Not easily, and not without root (probably) The issue is the email app on the G2 has the same package name, but a different encryption key used to sign the compiled app. When you try to overwrite the existing app with this new app, the keys will not match, and the installation will terminate. If you've rooted you could remove the app and it's associated support files, and maybe install this version. Is there a way to fix this? Probably. But chances are any fix will have to come from LG, who has access to the signing keys.
  • So it's not as simple as installing a separate app, like Google Camera? How did that work? Did they have to change the package name in that situation, lest Google Camera and the OEM's stock camera app interfere with one another?
  • It might be for some devices. A lot of it is going to depend on how the OEM built the AOSP email application. In 3 days XDA will have it sorted :)
  • I just downloaded the apk and the exchange apk and installed them on my LG g2 and my 8.3. Easy peasy. It's working great on my gmail and hotmail accounts.
  • Would you mind posting the link to the exchange apk? Is it the same when the apk for stock email was released back in the winter because I cant seem to find it? Thanks - I have the G2 too.
  • Pfft. No go on my Xperia Z2.
  • Nor on the Moto x, which I expected to work. Didn't expect it to work on the xperia. Heck Motorola is still a Google company pending all the legal stuff... Posted via Android Central App
  • ... And they still dont get special treatment because of that like they never have gotten before. Yes Motorola makes some great, near stock devices but they aren't Nexus devices. On another note this proberbly also have to do with licensing of the microsoft exchange client solutions needed. The OEM's have to do this them self's.
  • "Your device is not compatible with this version," using a nexus 4. Odd. Posted via Android Central App
  • Doesn't work on the moto g ever. I really only use gmail so no big loss. There are better non gmail mail stops out there anyways. Mail Droid.
    Posted via Android Central App
  • Just side load it. I've done that before with the stock email app. I used to love the stock email app but will admit there's nothing special about it. I'm using Gmail primarily anyhow. But it's cool it's on the play store now. Companies should really follow Google's model for Android Posted via my LG LS740 and The Android Central App
  • There's no reason for me to side load it I have maybe one yahoo account and that's it. Everything else is gmail and yahoo is spam. I mean most mail I get is. I should have figured if it didn't work for moto x it doesn't work for moto g. For the most part apps that work for moto x work on the moto g. With the exception of some moto apps/features. Posted via Android Central App
  • Wasn't telling you to side load it. Meant it in general for anybody who wants it. Personally idc. To each it's own imo Posted via my LG LS740 and The Android Central App
  • Check my post below. Applies to you as I have the Moto x too.
    Posted via Android Central App
  • How different is stock from Gmail?
  • Took them long enough.
  • Ok got this working by copying exchange2google.apk and the new email apk to my Moto x from my nexus 5. The exchange apk needs to be placed in system/app the email apk can be sideloaded normally. If you have root this is a relatively easy process and I now understand why it isn't set to available in the play store for the Moto x. Even though they use the older google email client they renamed the apk for the exchange and I learned after sideloaded the email apk I needed the correct exchange one for me to load my exchange account. Without it only shows pop3 and IMAP as options. Posted via Android Central App
  • Nice work! I haven't even looked into putting it on the X yet.
  • Nice! Although I'm quite happy with CloudMagic and whatever stock exchange email that the Z2 has for my exchange need. Posted via Android Central App
  • I'm content with Gmail, but it's good to know that Google has its non-Gmail users in their minds as well. Posted via Android Central App
  • Hopefully the Google Camera is next.
  • Isn't it already available on the play store? Posted via Android Central App
  • Yes Posted via Android Central App using an LG G2.
  • Got this running on an Optimus G running stock Kitkat. Simple install no root. Nothing different from the same email app bundled into my Nexus 7 IMO
  • I wonder why they did this? Could it be that maybe they are going to stop updating the aosp mail app now like how they stopped updating the stock browser but this way they can still offer a closed source version to people? I have no idea how it works but it seems weird to offer it on the play store only to devices that already have it.
  • seems like a trend to slowly get all main Google Apps onto Play. easier/faster/simpler updates that way.
  • I sideloaded the apk with the exchange and I love it Posted via Android Central App
  • What is the difference between this stock email and gmail anyway? Looks exactly the same. Posted via Android Central App
  • Well, for one, it appears that the ability to disable the disaster known as "Conversation Mode" has been enabled, gracias a dios. Too bad it's not available for my M8. I could have saved the $5 I spent on Aqua-Mail Pro (which is great, by the way). Conversation Mode Is a sickness which must be stopped. Posted via Android Central App
  • Conversation mode is an excellent option that, sadly, is not a available in this app. Maybe it's not possible for all types of accounts you might add, so Google chose to level the playing field and not make it an option?
  • Converstion mode is awesome. See, everyone isn't you. People are individuals and individuals have different likes and dislikes. I thought you would have figured that out by now.
  • Yeah, disabling the stupid conversation mode is the reason I like it.
  • Stop having stupid conversations. Problem solved.
  • They really should do this with all their apps. Android should be bare bones and I should be able to decide what apps I want on there. I typically use Googles Apps anyway, but I should be able to decide.
  • Maybe Google are going to remove the app from the new version of Android next week at I/O and have put it on the store now in preparation. A new version of Android would initially be available on the devices this app is currently compatible with, I believe they have placed it onto the store to give owners of those devices the option to install it once they have upgraded.
  • This seems like a entirely logical and likely scenario.
  • IM very confused. all android devices have stock google mail app on them already.
    So why is this happening??
  • For the love of God why can't they include a "select all" option for removing the 300+ messages in my trash?! Clicking each and every one is quite frankly, retarded. Posted via Android Central App on my white Nexus 4 with StraightTalk ATT
  • There is an option, open your trash folder, hit your menu buttom and empty trash
  • Just updated last nite. My menu button (N7 2012) has a refresh option and no empty trash option. Agree with @MetalMike901 - Clicking each one and then the trash icon is a PITA and needs to be fixed.
  • Yeah my N4 only has refresh in menu. They are using a customized email client, not the stocker like we are referring to. PITA! Posted via Android Central App on my white Nexus 4 with StraightTalk ATT
  • MetalMike901, i have a Note 3 and to delete all my messages at once, I press the menu button from the inbox/trash folder. One of the choices in pop-up menu says "Empty Trash". I can delete all 392 at the moment if i wish to.
  • Updated, and they tweaked the slide out menu. I use it all the time for my pop email. Posted from my Nexus 5 via Android Central App
  • And another open source app becomes abandonware and goes closed source. What a shame.
  • A little confused. I have a moto X and have the email app already. What is the difference between this and what came on my Moto X. Thanks
  • Maildroid for the win!
  • As a government employee of I use my personal phone for work business then it, my phone, becomes searchable if someone files a FOIA request. The whole phone, no not going there. Work can supply my phone. Posted via Android Central App
  • Does this app support threaded (conversation) view yet? The HTC stock email app is far far superior IMO.
  • I'd like to try this out but sadly I can't yet... It is called "Email" from Google and it's incompatible with all my devices. :-(
  • Tried it and it kept crashing in the background on my Nexus 10, popping up "Unfortunately, Email has stopped" periodically. Had to back out to factory version of app to be able to access my email again after disabling auto update. Posted via Android Central App
  • The stock email app has come a long way. It really resembles and feels more like GMail which I like. Used to suck. For years I have been using NItro Desk Touchdown Exchange for my company email needs, but a recent server update at work has made Active Sync my Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 no longer work so using this so far actually is not bad.