Google clarified on Friday that it is not discontinuing its popular email service, Gmail, despite rumors circulating on social media platforms indicating otherwise.
There was a screenshot circulating of an email supposedly from Google to Gmail users stating that the company would be “sunsetting Gmail” on August 1 of this year. The email mentioned that starting in August, Gmail will no longer be able to support sending, receiving, and storing emails.
After years of facilitating global connections, enabling smooth communication, and nurturing numerous relationships, the journey of Gmail is nearing its end. Starting on August 1, 2024, Gmail will be officially discontinued, bringing an end to its service. Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails, according to the screenshot.
The screenshot went viral on X, previously known as Twitter, and TikTok, with creators stating that it was in response to the criticism Google received for its AI image tool Gemini. This week, the image tool sparked a debate when it produced images of Nazi soldiers described as “racially diverse.”
Gmail is here to stay.
— Gmail (@gmail) February 22, 2024
Google has finally intervened and resolved the speculations. “Gmail is here to stay,” stated the post on X.
Experts in the tech field also turned to social media to address the rumors, clarifying that the company plans to discontinue the HTML version of Gmail this year, not the entire email service. Gmail has stopped offering the HTML-only version of its service starting in January 2024. Regular @gmail functions perfectly. “That’s a hoax,” remarked Marsha Collier, a technology educator.
Users can access their emails on Gmail’s HTML version even in areas with low network connectivity.