Readdle launching Spark 2, an email experience built for teams

Readdle is releasing a major update to its Spark email app today with version 2 for both iOS and macOS. The new app is unlike other email clients in that it doesn’t just let you manage email on your own, but instead builds features for teams on top of email.

When used with a team, Spark 2.0 includes the ability to discuss emails with team members using private in-line comments below the message. The idea here is teams can discuss an item of interest where it exists and take action rather than reference an email in another app or juggling group replies without the sender attached.

If you do need to share an email in another app, however, Spark 2 enables the ability to create links to emails and threads so you can drop a link in Slack or any other messaging app to directly link a team member to a specific message. Spark includes granular permission controls too so emails won’t be seen by the wrong people.

Spark is also improving group messaging with a new feature that lets you invite team members to email threads which lets you avoid forwarding emails as a workaround to adding members to threads.

And finally, Spark 2 is tackling group email composition with a special real time email composer that lets you write emails together with your team. Readdle describes this feature as Google Docs for composing email.

Spark 2 also includes third party integration on iOS with Reminders, 2Do, Omnifocus, Things, Wunderlist, Todoist, Asana, Trello, Bear, and Files; and Spark 2 for Mac adds a new calendar experience as well.

Spark 2 is a free update for existing customers on iPhone, iPad, and Mac (an updated Apple Watch app is coming next). For Spark’s business model, Readdle is taking a page from Slack’s playbook and giving away personal and core team functionality for free.

Teams can upgrade to a premium tier for $7.99/month per user (or 20% less when billed annually) to unlock 10GB instead of 5GB for commenting and file sharing, collaborating with three or more team members on email composition, premium customer service, advanced link sharing features, and admin control over teams.

Spark for iPhone, iPad, and Mac is available on the App Store with version 2.0 releasing today.

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