Filed under: Macworld, Internet Tools, iPhone
iPhone 1.1.3 changes Gmail access to IMAP, affects mail deletion
If you're a seasoned Gmail user, you're probably well aware that Google's email is available via IMAP for use with your iPhone. Of course, in previous versions of the iPhone firmware, the all-in-one Gmail configuration option was for the (very different) POP protocol: Gmail didn't enable IMAP until after the launch of the iPhone.If you know your IMAP from your SMTP, then you're probably already aware of why this is neat -- and also a curse over the previous POP system, if you don't take careful note of how the different protocols behave. Because IMAP actually keeps all your folders in sync with your server-side mailbox at Google, any changes you make to your mail on 1.1.3 will now also be reflected on the Gmail server. This means when you delete that message on your iPhone, in 1.1.2 it would still be archived on the Gmail server; with 1.1.3 and IMAP it now hits the master trash can and will be deleted after 30 days under Gmail's trash can rules. You have been warned!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
moo083 said 4:06PM on 1-16-2008
Does this mean you can no longer change the Trash's location to All Mail? Is there something I'm missing (I'm still on 1.1.1)?
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Zak Strassberg said 4:10PM on 1-16-2008
So... is there a way to archive them on the iPhone anymore? Because I don't want to have to leave them in my inbox...
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Island said 4:28PM on 1-16-2008
So I use gmail, and never delete any of my messages from my inbox because of the virtually unlimited space. Does that mean that all 5,000 of my email messages will show up on my iPhone? Also, will they actually download to my iPhone? That will take up a lot of space on my phone. Someone please explain this more in depth. Thank you.
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MikeCP said 4:31PM on 1-16-2008
when creating the account in mail settings just set it up as other. Manually fill in all the info. In advanced set drafts to be saved in the drafts folder in the gmail IMAP folders. For drafts and trash just have it done on your iPhone. All messages sent through gmail SMTP automatically are saved as sent in the imap folder. All items you delete on the phone are just removed from the inbox which is essentially the same as moving it to all mail.
This is by far the best way to have it set up. I'm writing from my iPhone now so if this is confusing I apologize.
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MikeCP said 4:33PM on 1-16-2008
"For drafts and trash just have it done on your iPhone."
This sentence should read "For Sent and trash just have it done on your iPhone."
peter.drier said 4:34PM on 1-16-2008
What happens if there's no network access when deleting a message.. i.e. I'm on the subway?
If it were a blackberry (which handles being off network better than the iPhone) I'd expect it to save up that delete until reaching the network again.
But given how Apple treats SMS's which fail if sent without network access (and are not queued for later), I'd assume deleting will fail as well.
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Adam said 4:38PM on 1-16-2008
To Island: No, I think by default, mail will only download the 50 most recent (at a time?). It's an option in the mail settings.
Also, if you delete something from the inbox on gmail, you still have a copy in the "All Mail" folder. The "Archive" button on gmail works the same as the move to trash command on the iphone in this case - both simply remove the inbox copy while preserving the archived copy.
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=78755&topic=12815
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Levi Figueira said 4:41PM on 1-16-2008
I'm glad this has changed!! It's completely pointless to have messages that I send to the TRASH not being deleted along with other Gmail trash messages!
If I wanted it archived, I'd move it to All Mail!
What's the big deal? :S
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Eleventeen said 4:42PM on 1-16-2008
moo - No you can still change where Mail puts deleted messages by going into your Advanced settings.
Zak - you can still copy to your All Mail folder...or wherever you want to. The phone will still keep cached copies just like it used to under POP...just not always with attachments.
Island - Mail will only download the number of emails you specify in the Advanced settings...the 25 newest emails I believe is the default. And again, I don't think it always keeps attachments cached.
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Bob S. said 5:08PM on 1-16-2008
This post kind of implies that Gmail no longer makes POP available, but it's certainly still working on my various computers and smartphones (not iPhones). Is Gmail POP unavailable now on the iPhone and iPod Touch?
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mt said 5:14PM on 1-16-2008
The way around this is to set your iphone "Trash" folder (in Advanced) to [Gmail]/All Mail.
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AW said 5:22PM on 1-16-2008
The information in the article is incomplete. My deleted messages still go to the archive. The Gmail team gives a more accurate explanation: https://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=86615
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wmchiefs said 5:24PM on 1-16-2008
I had gmail set up with 1.1.2 under "other" like many of you are saying, and it worked great. now that i've installed 1.1.3 im having trouble. emails that are under the same string (ie: lots of re: to and from the same person) show up as individual re: emails in my inbox and not the single email like it should be. its frustrating me like crazy...anything i can do?
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wmchiefs said 5:42PM on 1-16-2008
ok after searching on gmails help site i think i found that "threaded" emails are always shown as individual with all pop or IMAP. if thats the case im screwed it looks like.
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Alex said 5:42PM on 1-16-2008
Eleventeen said...
moo - No you can still change where Mail puts deleted messages by going into your Advanced settings.
Although there is a setting, under advanced to map Trash to All Mail; it doesnt seem to work and reverts back to being mapped to Trash. I messed around with this for a little while last night, before finding the Google/gmail article that says:
If you like your email Archived when you hit delete on iPhone, set it up as an IMAP acct through OTHER (or just leave it alone if that's what you had set up from 1.1.1/2 days);
If you want your email actually deleted, when you hit delete on iPhone, just set up a new IMAP acct on iphone via the Gmail button/link in the iphone setup wizard.
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James C. said 3:41PM on 1-17-2008
Is anyone else having trouble locating a contact in map by selecting the address in contacts? b4 update it worked fine, (the contacts/locations i did b4 still work btw) but now maps says it can't find location when address is entered from contacts, finds them fine when address is entered manually.
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