Gmail Privacy and Security Get Ruggedized

Google on Wednesday rolled out a number of new features designed to make its G Suite collaboration and productivity apps more efficient and safer to use.

G Suite currently has more than 4 million paying business customers, according to Google.

The updates include a new design, enhanced security and artificial intelligence components, and better integration of G Suite apps -- including Gmail, which is getting a brand new look.

The overhaul already has been rolled out to some businesses via the G Suite Early Adopter Program. Personal Gmail users can opt in by selecting "try the new Gmail" under Settings.

The changes follow the introduction last month of anti-phishing protections in response to business email compromise (BEC) threats -- for example, someone impersonating an executive in order to acquire sensitive information.

Those efforts -- which include warning users or automatically moving suspected phishing emails to spam -- already have succeeded in blocking 99.9 percent of BEC attempts, Google noted.

Google will not scan Gmail in any way for the purpose of targeting ads, and no ads will be shown in Gmail for G Suite customers, Google said.

Email Confidential

Google has taken privacy protection up a notch with the introduction of Gmail confidential mode -- a way to protect sensitive content. Options include adding an expiration date feature and allowing users to revoke previously sent messages. Emails also can require additional authentication via a text message before recipients can view them, which could add protection against account hacking.

New Warnings and Tasks

G Suite's Gmail security warnings have gotten a makeover, which should reduce instances of users ignoring them. The new warnings are bigger and bolder.

Gmail also has received an artificial intelligence upgrade, including new functionality such as Nudging, Smart Reply and high-priority notifications to help with user productivity.

Nudging, for example, proactively reminds users to respond to messages. Smart Reply, which was introduced last year for mobile devices, has been rolled out to the Web version of Gmail.

The new high-priority notifications are designed to ensure that users are notified only of important messages, so that interruptions can be kept to a minimum....