Google has announced a Gmail update that will allow customers to track scheduled package delivery right from their inbox in time for the holiday shopping season. The function looks for emails with tracking numbers, uses that information to figure out when the order is likely to arrive, and then marks the email in your inbox. Earlier, Google rolled out a unified Gmail interface widely.
Track your packages with Gmail
If an email or order carries a tracking number, Gmail will display it right in the inbox view, just beneath the subject line. This can include the projected arrival date in addition to updates such as “label created,” “arriving tomorrow,” and “delivered today,” which are represented by an icon and appear in green.
Whenever you open the email, you’ll get a summary card with an image preview, the product name, and shipping details. It will also include an order progress timeline with direct links to “Track Package” and “Order Information.” It will be quite convenient to be able to swipe between emails and see your card show up in a consistent way.
Users can sign up for package tracking information directly from their inbox or in their Gmail settings. Gmail will then search for order statuses using your tracking numbers and display them in your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any moment by going to your Gmail settings.
Availability
This update will be rolled out in the coming weeks. Gmail will showcase a simple, helpful view of your item tracking and delivery information directly in the inbox.
Announcing the feature, Ilya Brown, VP, Product, Gmail, said,
In the coming months, Gmail will help eliminate some of that surprise. It’ll proactively show a delay label and bring the email to the top of your inbox so you don’t miss a beat (or a package).
There’s a lot to keep track of during the holidays. But with these new features, and even more to come in Gmail, we hope to cross at least one of those to-do’s off your list — so you can spend less time waiting by the door and more time celebrating with your loved ones.