Assuming that at some point, Google does plan to take GMail out of Beta, what do you think it will take?

Google assures taking GMail out of Beta? ha! like most of its projects this will end in failure... :D

Join Mozilla Firefox Power!

Gmail will never leave beta.
Gmail + beta = ♥ ;)

It isn't in beta, Google decided to call the product "Gmail Beta" to confuse people :-P

He, but id Google was waiting for some awesome feature to add to GMail before taking it out of beta, what do you think it would have to be? I was looking for any serious or humorous answers-- perhaps they're waiting until they can provide the infinite storage they're waiting for before they can release GDrive :) Not very crazy but it's the first thing i could think of. Forgive me, i just rolled out of bed

Good question. I think the biggest reason for any product to stay in beta, is because the company is not sure if it's strong enough against competition. Until then, the product is heavily modified to outmatch the opponent and therefore stays in beta.

As a Google PR spinner said last year: "Beta, for us, is more of an internal set of requirements and an indication that we continue to work on the product to make it better and better. Google has very high internal metrics that products have to meet before coming out of beta."

So, it may be that they originally set those very high internal metrics a little too high regarding performance, stability and scalability. I wonder if they set the metrics somewhere up there in the stratosphere where their golden eagle (Web Search) soars? And at the same time, the growth rate for gmail has been tremendous, so that makes reaching those lofty goals even that much more difficult. Also, because email is a highly personal and very frequently used app, there may be certain legalities that are easier to navigate with a Beta banner waving over the bow – should any glitches or disasters occur which sends all your email to that eternal trash bin (hint: no recovery mode) in the cloud.

Since its been in a perpetual state of beta for years, when and if they do come out of beta, I think it will only achieve that status because those internal reqs were actually met and they have some new major enhancement to announce with it. Kind of like a 2 for 1 special. And maybe the new feature will be their "new twist" on the To Do list functionality that they hinted at many months ago.

Also, by staying in Beta for so long, it's become a sort of running joke that keeps people guessing and wondering why – and that, in turn, keep people interested. Not too bad from a publicity perspective – when doing nothing (not removing Beta status) seems to be doing quite a lot.

"Beta, for us, is more of an internal set of requirements and an indication that we continue to work on the product to make it better and better."
So a Google product out of Beta is a Google product discontinued? :P

<<So, it may be that they originally set those very high internal metrics a little too high regarding performance, stability and scalability.>>
GMail can come out of beta when the page loads before you finish typing the URL! (actually, if firefox autocomplete also started to load pages automatically for users with super-super high speed internet connections and gmail was fast enough...that could actually be possible haha)

Thanks for the long response but i was just looking for crazy ideas people had like my loading before the url is completely entered idea :)

I think it is out of beta yet because the Beta isn't anymore in the logo.

How about a super service (sorry to mention my theory again :-P)

Gmail + GCal + Docs + Reader + other stuff. all in one place? Of course this "Super Service" would then probably have to be in beta for another 5 years!

Or the possibility to cancel sent emails? Put a slight delay on sending them (a minute?) and allow the user to stop it within that time period :P

Emmet
I'm seeing beta still (UK, Google Mail logo)

PS. Gmail just hit 7000 MB!!!!

I don't understand your super service idea.....how would they all be in one place?

> Gmail + GCal + Docs + Reader + other stuff. all in one place?

Perhaps Google plans for iGoogle/ the Google homapge to be that place in the future...

Philipp
Ooo. I'd forgotten that! Well I if IG properly integrated GCal, Docs and Reader that's kind of what I was thinking of :P

I'd love a super service. The issue with it is though that many people don't want to use iGoogle as their homepage.

No product...NONE...should take 4 years to be in development. BETA is a joke when it comes to Google.

Philipp throw in Google Bookmarks/Notebook into that mix too.

Superservice-- all of the big google services on one page...
....because linking them together one click away just isn't enough.

GMail be out of Beta?

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DPIc
True, linking is perfectly fine as it is.

But it would be far nicer to have one interface load once and then all the content load (mail, reader, calendar) when I request it, instead of loading different interfaces and frameworks for each app.

For example, iGoogle now has a simplified Mail interface and seems to have Google Reader (bar offline support) build in. Clicking a mail and it being *there* is far nicer than clicking an email, a new window opening and loading a new interface. The outcome is roughly the same, but the former concept is quicker and speed is important to Google.

Vik
The Demonym for the UK is British or Britons.

Martin, i see what you're saying

--
I'd love to see GrandCentral 2 be tightly integrated with GMail. Ya know, having GC share the Gmail contacts list to avoid very very annoying duplication. To give GTalk users a GC number. To allow better conference calling. To basically rock awesome.

I want to be able to use voice over Gmail Chat or the Gadget. GrandCentral integration is a must. Rock awesome, indeed.

Nope still says GMail (beta) on the Gmail logo

"I think it is out of beta yet because the Beta isn't anymore in the logo." – Emmet Brown