In The News: Gmail To Offer A New Handy Feature

In The News: Gmail To Offer A New Handy Feature

What’s Up, and Why Should We Care?

Inspecting the recent update of Google Play Services, researchers have come across an intriguing detail. Google appears to be readying a new Gmail feature called "Shielded Email", aimed at enhancing user privacy and reducing exposure to spam and phishing attacks. The new feature is not yet included in the update, but certain lines of code give us a few hints on what it’s all about.

In short, the new tool will allow you to generate disposable or single-use email aliases. These temporary addresses forward messages to your primary account, letting you sign up for services or share contact information without disclosing your real email.  While Shielded Email is still in development, we can expect its rollout in the near future.

What Is This “Shielded Email” Good For?

Shielded Email is designed to make email more private and secure. It’s great for dodging spam, phishing attempts, and creepy trackers.

Imagine you’re filling out an online form or subscribing to a newsletter. Instead of handing over your real email, you create a new disposable alias for each occasion. If an alias becomes spammy or raises security concerns, just trash it — your primary inbox always stays untouched.

Google is reportedly integrating this feature into existing services like Autofill and possibly Google Password Manager, providing seamless functionality for Android users. It is still unclear whether Shielded Email will be free or offered as part of a paid service like Google One, but its potential benefits are undeniable.

Similar Solutions Currently Available

Google isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel here. Apple’s “Hide My Email” function, included in iCloud+, offers similar functionality by generating random email addresses that forward to users’ main inboxes. There are many other services like DuckDuckGo’s Email Protection or Bitwarden which also provide disposable email addresses. These solutions have gained traction as users become increasingly aware of online threats.

However, to use standalone services with your Gmail mailbox, you need to manually set up email forwarding from your disposable address to the primary one. The task of sending a response email from a disposable address will be even more complex and often impossible. Shielded Email, if implemented effectively, could stand out by seamlessly integrating with Google’s vast ecosystem and complementing its proven security measures like spam filtering and sender verification.

What To Expect And When?

While Google hasn’t dropped an official release date, the appearance of Shielded Email in Play Services code hints it might be just around the corner. It could roll out as part of a Gmail update or an Android feature enhancement. Keep an eye on Gmail and Google Play updates — you might find yourself creating Shielded Email aliases before you know it!