UI changes in Apple's Mail beta
The surprise announcement of a beta version of Apple's browser-based MobleMe Mail has users curious about the service's future. While we await our invitations, we compared the only beta screenshot we've found to Mail's current appearance. Here's what we found, starting from the top.
Toolbar
The new toolbar is blue and features fewer icons. The Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Photos, iDisk, Find and Settings icons currently on the far left have been replaced with a single MobileMe Cloud icon. Perhaps it produces a drop-down revealing the other services. It seems unlikely that Apple would release a public beta that's so incomplete so as not to include links to services beyond email, but it is a Mail beta, so Apple is likely focusing on the functioning of that service before providing links to the rest.
Check out the gallery below for side-by-side screenshots.
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The search bar has moved from the far right to the left, and the "action" icons (reply, forward, compose, etc...) have been replaced with five simple icons that seem to have been lifted right from the iPad. From right to left, they appear to be compose, reply/forward and move. The remaining two icons, first and second from the left, have us stumped.
The icon on the far left could be tag. The remaining icon seems to be an arrow pointed into a box. Your guess is as good as ours there. Perhaps save to iDisk or single-click archiving? We know that the new service will feature URL shortening and changes to rules. Perhaps that's what these will be used for.
3 columns
The most dramatic difference is the new 3-column view. Right now 3-pane and 2-pane views are available, but always across two columns. Again, this feels like Mail on the iPad with the message header and blurb on the left and a full, wide column dedicated to the message on the right.
Finally, the blue folder icons are now grey. Overall the UI is much simpler and, as we mentioned, similar to what Apple has done with the iPad. We're very eager to try this out and hope we get our invitations soon. Hint, Apple.