If you shed a tear when experimental Google Inbox messaging disappeared in 2019, the arrival of Shortwave should put a smile on your face. Created by former Googlers, this new email client has an air of deja vu. Shortwave actually seems to be the worthy descendant of Google’s modernized mailbox project. The application, which only manages a Gmail mailbox, is visually very similar to what existed with Inbox.
But it is also and above all the features offered by Shortwave that are reminiscent of Inbox. This new mailbox takes care of automatically organizing the emails in your Gmail inbox based on contacts and context. Conversations are also automatically categorized and grouped. Messages can be addressed as a to-do list, with the option to pin the most important messages to the top of the inbox, schedule reminders, or mark them as treated.
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Shortwave also offers collaborative tools. It is for example possible to create discussion channels in which you can mention your interlocutors, and exchange with them as in an instant messenger.
The application is available in a free version which remains however limited: you will not be able to search for messages beyond 90 days and the collaborative functions are restricted to 10 participants and five channels. You have to pay $9 per month to unlock the full potential of the solution.
Shortwave is available on Windows, macOS and Linux as a WebApp, and can also be installed on iOS and Android as a beta.