Is Gmail Shutting Down? Google Responds Claims

A photoshopped Google email from 2023 appeared on X, in which the tech behemoth announced its plans to end the Gmail Basic HTML view.

The post garnered more than 4 million views by February 21, 2024, and left netizens worried that Gmail was “coming to a close.”

The message, supposedly attributed to Google, read,

“We are reaching out to share an important update about Gmail. After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close. As of August 1, 2024, Gmail will officially be sunsetted, marking the end of its service.”

“This means that as of this date, Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails. The decision to sunset Gmail has been made with careful consideration of the evolving digital landscape and our commitment to providing high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the needs of our users.”

The post soon became viral, and in a short period, it was viewed more than 4 million times. The very thought that there would not be a Gmail service was incomprehensible to many, and this was also one of the reasons why many netizens questioned the veracity of the post. For some, the screenshot looked fake or a hoax.

“Gmail is here to stay” says Google

The ambiguity did not remain for long, and Google immediately responded to the hoax and posted on its official Gmail X account, “Gmail is here to stay.” So relax, Gmail is not going anywhere anytime soon.

The confusion was caused because Google changed its default Gmail view, which used to be ‘basic HTML,’ to a new and more colorful view. This change was made in January 2024. Google had stated in an earlier email which read,

 “The Gmail Basic HTML views are previous versions of Gmail that were replaced by their modern successors 10+ years ago and do not include full Gmail feature functionality.”

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