Google+ Invades Gmail: New Google+ Notifications Hit The Inbox

Today on the official Gmail Blog a new feature was announced, Google+ notifications in Gmail.  Basically this change brings Google+ interactions directly into a user’s inbox.  If a user opts in to have Google+ notifications delivered to their inbox, they can respond, +1 and more.

Here’s an example from Google’s post which illustrates the change, which begins rolling out today:

Users can now see all notifications including comments from others in real time, right in their Gmail inbox.  Additional functionality allows comments and +1’s to be posted to Google+ instantly direct from one’s inbox.

This will also work for mobile email users or POP IMAP users.  Anyone that doesn’t want to use a Google+ app can just hit “reply to this email” and the emailed response will add directly to the Google+ conversation.  This has been a popular feature for threaded web apps like Basecamp or forums.

Supported services include:

• Android 2.5+
• iOS 5.0+
• Blackberry
• Standard POP and IMAP clients

While some users may want to interact socially from their inbox, I can’t help but ask, “Is this a needed feature?”

An official Google+ app already exists for the major mobile platforms of iPhone and Android. Google+ notifications are already present within Gmail through the red notification counter:

The blog posts states:

“We’re always working to create a simpler, more intuitive experience for our users”

However, this change appears seems to make Gmail overly busy as Google+ is simply invading the screen, and they don’t need to.

So, if the big red interactive button in Gmail, the mobile app or Google+ web interface aren’t enough for you, keep an eye out for Google+ interactivity coming to an inbox near you.