Google acquired the popular email client Sparrow back in 2012 and announced that the entire team would be joining Google to work on Gmail. Since that acquisition, Sparrow apps received only a handful of updates and have been seemingly neglected in favor of Google’s new Inbox initiative. Over the past few days, however, Sparrow appears to have received the final nail in its coffin as it has been removed from both the Mac App Store and iOS App Store (via TechCrunch).
The last time the $2.99 email app appeared in the iOS App Store was February 12th, while the $9.99 Mac app was last available on February 13th. The Mac app, however, is still available from Sparrow’s website directly. The last time the iOS update received an update was October 2013 to add iOS 7 compatibility. The Mac app never saw an update. At one point, Sparrow was the most popular app on the iOS App Store. It is to be seen if Google will launch a dedicated, native Inbox application for the Mac to replace Sparrow.
At the time of the acquisition, Sparrow co-founder and CEO Dom Leca said that him and his team were eager to work on new things at Google, while also continuing to provide support for Sparrow customers.
The talent from the Sparrow acquisition has presumably been dedicated to Google’s new Inbox email client, which it launched last October. Inbox is seen as a marriage between Gmail and Google Now and is something Google says it is very focused on headed into the future.
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On earlier versions of iOS, I needed Sparrow to do what I needed, but Apple improved its mail client, and with iOS 7 (or was it 6?), I was able to retire Sparrow. I wonder how many people were still using it…
I use it on a Mac, as it’s still the best Mac native Gmail client. I don’t believe Inbox client exists on a Mac.
I will continue using Mac Sparrow, as long as it keeps working.
Inbox is only mobile right now.
Have you tried Mailbox? It’s more geared towards productivity, but it saves me a ton of time. It’s in beta, but it’s been great.
I’m very fond of it as well. I started using Airmail as I expected Sparrow to stop working with updates, though I still have it on one of my laptops. It’s great!
Big fish eats small fish and than digest it and than final output product is …..every one knows
Yes, like Apple has digested so many small fishes, and now everyone knows what are their output? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Apple
Inbox not available as desktop clients, neither for Google for Work accounts.
Mailbox is also receiving few if no updates and is full of bugs.
Sparrow was ditched long time ago.
It looks like there is no way to get a proper desktop and mobile email client, in all OSes and which does what Sparrow, Mailbox and Inbox are supposed to do: help us keeping our inbox clean and productive.