Check out a breakdown of the e-mail purchasers on which subscribers open your campaigns and also you’ll discover two acquainted names on the prime of the checklist: Apple Mail and Gmail. But, despite the fact that these are two of the preferred e mail purchasers, they’ve some distinct variations.
Among the greatest variations between Gmail and Apple Mail relate to how they render HTML e mail designs.
On this article, we’ll discuss how the Apple Mail app works and the way it compares to the Gmail app. We’ll additionally discuss concerning the variations between the 2 e mail purposes that can assist you make knowledgeable selections about e mail design and growth.
Gmail and Apple Mail similarities
Gmail and Apple Mail are e mail apps accessible in each internet and cell variations. You may entry each on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and any system working on iOS, iPadOS, or macOS ecosystem. Apple Mail is simply accessible for Apple units, however Gmail is obtainable on each iOS and Android units.
Whereas there’s a desktop software for Apple Mail, Google doesn’t provide that choice with Gmail. The consumer interface for Apple Mail appears pretty just like Gmail, and each have apps you could set up on iOS units.
Backstage, each the Gmail app and the Apple Mail app depend on Easy Mail Switch Protocol (SMTP) servers to ship messages. They each use Put up Workplace Protocol model 3 (POP3) and Web Message Entry Protocol (IMAP) to retrieve messages. As well as, there’s the likelihood to arrange Microsoft Trade in each Apple Mail and Gmail to retrieve messages.
Regardless of these technical similarities, HTML e mail design can nonetheless present up in a Gmail consumer’s inbox trying a technique and look completely totally different for an Apple Mail consumer.
Right here’s one other complicated reality…
Apple Mail additionally permits Gmail customers to fetch new messages from their e mail accounts and combination them within the Apple Mail app. So, even when somebody has a Gmail deal with, it’s completely potential that they’re viewing it within the Mail App with a Mac or an iOS system.
The explanations for inconsistent show all level again to how these two purchasers render emails, which is able to clarify extra in a second.
What are the primary variations between Gmail and Apple Mail?
Regardless of their similarities, there are some key variations within the Gmail and Apple Mail apps that may confuse each e mail designers and their purchasers. Under, we’ll undergo 5 main variations between the 2.
1. Rendering engines
Apple Mail and Gmail use totally different rendering engines, and that’s the primary cause why emails could seem otherwise in these apps.
A rendering engine is software program that takes HTML and CSS code and “attracts” textual content and pictures on the display screen. Whereas Gmail makes use of a proprietary rendering engine, Apple Mail makes use of WebKit, which it additionally makes use of within the Safari browser. Some variations of Outlook use WebKit as properly.
Chances are you’ll be conversant in how sure internet browsers will show internet pages otherwise than others. That is principally the identical idea. For instance, you could need to use a particular internet font in your emails, however whereas it shows nice in Apple Mail, Gmail reverts to a default font. Whereas animated PNGs will work in Apple Mail, they’ll solely work in Gmail for iOS. Gmail and Apple Mail additionally deal with darkish mode emails otherwise.
When somebody makes use of the Mail App to fetch Gmail messages, it will likely be rendered with WebKit. That’s why you could not be capable to belief what you see in case you merely ship a guide take a look at to Gmail. It’s extraordinarily seemingly that a few of your subscribers with Gmail addresses are viewing campaigns within the Mail App.
2. E-mail shopper vs. e mail service
That brings up one other key distinction between Gmail and Apple Mail. Whereas Gmail is each an e mail shopper and an e mail service, Apple Mail is simply an e mail shopper.
An e mail shopper is an software, like Apple Mail or Android Mail, which you utilize to entry your emails. An e mail shopper could have particular guidelines or behaviors relating to the deletion, archiving, or threading of your emails.
An e mail service – like Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, or Yahoo Mail – gives the technical spine for sending and receiving your emails. Apple Mail offers you a approach to test your emails from a wide range of purchasers in a single place. To place it merely, you’ll be able to’t get an @applemail.com e mail deal with, however recipients can use Apple Mail to view emails from a number of mailboxes.
E-mail providers usually even have particular guidelines or behaviors relating to the deletion, archiving, or threading of emails. If that’s the case, they normally take priority over some other guidelines your e mail shopper could have. Nevertheless, it’s vital to notice that your campaigns will probably be rendered within the shopper on which the e-mail is opened.
3. CSS styling and responsive design
Among the most irritating variations between Apple Mail and Gmail contain utilizing CSS to type an HTML e mail. For example, if there may be an error within the <type> block, the Gmail app will strip out the type block from emails.
The type block is an HTML component that defines the CSS kinds for a doc. Whereas Gmail does have some assist for media queries and the <type> component, Can I E-mail signifies it’s solely partially supported. Utilizing the <type> tag within the physique of an HTML e mail received’t work Gmail solely helps it within the <head>.
Many e mail builders use media queries to code responsive emails. These queries robotically alter the e-mail’s width, peak, orientation, and backbone to a subscriber’s system.
In accordance with Can I E-mail, Apple Mail totally helps media queries. Gmail, nonetheless, helps media queries for coding responsive campaigns so long as they’re included in a <type> block within the e mail’s <head> part. The one exception is height-based media queries, which Gmail doesn’t assist.
Nevertheless, media queries should not supported in any respect in GANGA accounts (Gmail app for non-Google accounts). And as you’ll see subsequent, there’s one other kind of media question that received’t work in Gmail.
4. Darkish mode emails
Viewing emails in darkish mode has grow to be widespread and that’s created some challenges for e mail builders. A standard approach to optimize emails for darkish mode is the usage of the media question (prefers-color-scheme).
This question lets you develop darkish mode and lightweight mode variations of a marketing campaign and the shopper will render the model that matches the mode the subscriber prefers. Sadly, this solely works with e mail purchasers that use WebKit as a rendering engine, which as you understand by now, consists of Apple Mail and excludes Gmail.
Get some recommendations on bettering the darkish mode e mail expertise in Gmail from Rémi Parmentier of HTeuMeuLeu.com. Try the information on fixing darkish mode in Gmail with CSS mix modes.
5. AMP for e mail
Along with darkish mode, interactivity is one other e mail advertising development. AMP for e mail relies on the open-source AMP framework. It permits builders so as to add interactive parts to e mail campaigns corresponding to carousels, surveys, varieties, and extra – all with out leaving the inbox.
Many builders who’ve used AMP for e mail find it irresistible. Others have been hesitant to strive it out for one huge cause… Gmail is the one main e mail shopper with constant assist for AMP for e mail. That’s as a result of Google is straight linked to the event of AMP.
It’s no secret that Apple and Google are enormous opponents. So, in case you’re anticipating AMP assist in Apple Mail any time quickly, don’t maintain your breath. When you’re going to benefit from AMP for e mail, be sure you have interactive e mail fallbacks in place.
Proper now, the 2 tech giants are combating over the adoption of Android’s RCS (Wealthy Communication Providers) messages. Discover out extra from both MacRumors or Android Police, relying on which facet you fall.
6. Safety and privateness
Each the Gmail and Apple Mail apps use encryption. Nevertheless, whereas all Apple Mail is encrypted with S/MIME, solely paid Google Workspace accounts use S/MIME encryption. All different Gmail accounts use TLS encryption. Whereas S/MIME is safer, TLS is extra broadly supported by e mail programs and thus operates extra seamlessly for the common consumer than S/MIME.
As well as, Apple rolled out its Mail Privateness Safety (MPP) function in 2021. MPP permits Apple Mail customers to specify whether or not or not they need to share details about when, the place, and the way they open emails. It will have an effect on the way you measure e mail engagement metrics, particularly open charges. Discover out extra about what AMPP means for e mail entrepreneurs.
What are some key options of the Gmail app?
Now that we’ve explored a number of the primary options of each e mail apps, their similarities, and their variations, let’s go over some Gmail-specific options. Under, we’ve included an inventory of key Gmail features to remember whereas designing emails:
- Gmail clips messages bigger than 102kb. When you exceed this measurement, Gmail will show the primary 102kb of your message adopted by the textual content [Message clipped] View complete message. Learn how to stop Gmail clipping.
- Gmail’s attachment interface is extra intuitive. Although each Gmail and Apple Mail apps assist attachments, Gmail’s massive attachment button is extra intuitive than Apple Mail’s attachment answer. In Apple Mail, you’ll have to faucet and maintain on to the message space of an open e mail to add a file.
When you’re designing emails for the Gmail app, remember to take a look at our suggestions for creating emails for Gmail and Google apps.
What are some key options of the Apple Mail app?
All in favour of designing emails for Apple Mail? On this part, we’ll go over some Apple Mail-specific options to remember whilst you work:
- Apple Mail works with many e mail providers. Apple Mail helps different e mail providers, together with Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, AOL Mail, Yahoo Mail, and iCloud. You may arrange your Apple Mail to import and combination emails from different suppliers. For example, let’s say you obtain an e mail by way of Gmail. This message may look totally different relying on whether or not you open it within the Gmail or Apple Mail app.
- Apple Mail helps responsive designs. You should utilize the type tag to incorporate your CSS stylings for responsive e mail designs.
- Apple Mail could resize your e mail primarily based on the biggest component. Use the type tag to create responsive designs. In any other case, Apple Mail may resize your e mail design primarily based on the biggest component, like a big picture, to make it “match.” In consequence, the app can incorrectly cut back your textual content to a smaller print.
Like the following pointers? They’re simply the tip of the iceberg. Try our suggestions for designing for iOS units.
Wrapping up
And that’s it! We’ve gone by way of the most important similarities and variations between the Gmail and the Apple Mail apps. When you’re new to the world of e mail growth, the belief that these purchasers don’t show campaigns identically may be a little bit of a shock.
That’s why there’s E-mail on Acid by Sinch. We constructed our e mail testing platform to assist with challenges identical to this. Use our e mail previews to view your campaigns on dozens of purchasers and units. See how the e-mail renders and repair any points earlier than you hit ship.
Plus, E-mail on Acid gives numerous different useful options for high quality assurance. That features e mail accessibility, deliverability, spell test, and inbox show optimization. Take us for a spin with a free trial!
This text was up to date on Could 24, 2022. It first revealed in September 2013.
Writer: The E-mail on Acid Staff
The E-mail on Acid content material group is made up of digital entrepreneurs, content material creators, and straight-up e mail geeks.
Join with us on LinkedIn, observe us on Fb, and tweet at @EmailonAcid on Twitter for extra candy stuff and nice convos on e mail advertising.
Writer: The E-mail on Acid Staff
The E-mail on Acid content material group is made up of digital entrepreneurs, content material creators, and straight-up e mail geeks.
Join with us on LinkedIn, observe us on Fb, and tweet at @EmailonAcid on Twitter for extra candy stuff and nice convos on e mail advertising.
