Google's Gmail application for the iPhone is garbage.

But why?

One source close to the matter said it's because Google's iOS app team put together the application as an afterthought. The team was definitely more concerned with the Android application — as is typically the case at Google, the source said.

The Gmail team wasn't too concerned with building the application because most iOS users also use the mail app built into the phone instead of the Gmail web app, the source told us.

Part of the blame also sits on Apple, which hasn't been accommodating of Google developers. Google wants to update the map application, which uses its internal map data, but can't do so because Apple has not let them, the source said. Google can't make its own iOS map app either, because that would replicate the functionality behind the map app.

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