Google Tries Out New Gmail Login Screen

Gmail on Android is getting some updates, including a more reliable and user-friendly support for non-Gmail accounts.

The Gmail login screen, meanwhile, is also getting an update that has some users annoyed.

On the Android app, users can now tap on another person's avatar to see recent conversations, contact info, and more. And the mobile app got a makeover, re-launching with a fresh new look, and an improved tablet layout with faster switching between inbox categories and accounts.

Those running Android Lollipop, meanwhile, can also now hide sensitive lock-screen notifications.

According to Android Police, there is also the option to add vacation responses to Exchange accounts, and the promise of Gmail's Unsubscribe feature coming soon.

The new Gmail log-in screen on the Web, meanwhile, requires folks to enter their username on one page and their password on a separate one. The split, according to Google, won't change the sign-in process in any other way.

"As we've said many times, we're working towards introducing new authentication solutions that complement traditional passwords," an employee wrote in a forum post.

This move, she said, is a method of preparation for future authentication solutions, and helps to reduce confusion among folks with multiple Google accounts.

Citing last year's move to separate the username and password fields on the Android OS, the company said the new change to its website "is another step in that direction."

The next time you log into Google, don't fret if you see your profile picture and full name (above). According to the search titan, that information is shown only when you sign in from a location or device you've used before, like your home computer or mobile phone.

Not everyone is thrilled with the new plan, though.

"It does NOT 'make sign in easier' to have to enter information on TWO screens instead of one in order to get into a Gmail account," one user wrote in the forum thread. "Instead, it wastes time—which is something none of us have enough of!"

"There is absolutely nothing positive about this change," another one wrote, adding that the new flow doesn't improve any security "whatsoever."

:story: PC Magazine