Which Android email app is closest to iOS?

[spinedoc77]

I'm having a hard time with Android's email apps, I'm used to iOS stock app. In particular I'm looking for an app that shows me my Hotmail folders like the iOS app does, and allows me to choose which folders to sync.

So far I've tried the stock email app on Touchwiz (Note 2), aqua mail, and K9 mail, I haven't really liked any of those.

Has any developer just completely copied the iOS mail app? I'd love to just clone it and have it on Android as so far it's been far superior in productivity. Free would be nice, but I'm not afraid to pay for the right app.

 

[chris2k5]

I'm having a hard time with Android's email apps, I'm used to iOS stock app. In particular I'm looking for an app that shows me my Hotmail folders like the iOS app does, and allows me to choose which folders to sync.

So far I've tried the stock email app on Touchwiz (Note 2), aqua mail, and K9 mail, I haven't really liked any of those.

Has any developer just completely copied the iOS mail app? I'd love to just clone it and have it on Android as so far it's been far superior in productivity. Free would be nice, but I'm not afraid to pay for the right app.

K9 is what a lot of users use. I wasn't impressed with any of the options either.
MailDroid is another popular option but again, they don't organize the folders logically and intuitively like iOS does.

 

[TacticalDesire]

I haven't noticed any. I've honestly been fine with the stock mail apps on both platforms. Except for there's no option to mark all as read on either. But both work fine for emailing on the road.

 

[marc11]

Here is hoping Sparrow becomes the standard email client for Android in the not to distant future.

 

[siiip5]

I'm having a hard time with Android's email apps, I'm used to iOS stock app. In particular I'm looking for an app that shows me my Hotmail folders like the iOS app does, and allows me to choose which folders to sync.

So far I've tried the stock email app on Touchwiz (Note 2), aqua mail, and K9 mail, I haven't really liked any of those.

Has any developer just completely copied the iOS mail app? I'd love to just clone it and have it on Android as so far it's been far superior in productivity. Free would be nice, but I'm not afraid to pay for the right app.

Gmail

I have Yahoo and Hot mail auto-synced with GMail. I can then either look at each individual folder that houses Yahoo and Hot mail, or simple look at "All Mail" and view all my email at once, with a nice little tag next to each email telling me if it is from Gmail, Yahoo or Hot mail. The key is setting all your Google stuff up on a PC or Mac. Docs, Calendar, Mail, Wallet, etc all have their main settings there, not in the mobile apps.
First pic, is like iOS in that it shows your normal inbox, sent, drafts, etc, then at the bottom, show All labels. Next, you get screen 2 and as you can see you have the Inbox, the Priority Inbox (you know it as VIP Inbox on iOS - Apple loves stealing ideas from Android) and at the bottom you see "All Mail" last screen shows the Orange tab indicating my Yahoo inbox, if I just want to see those emails. Or you can just auto forward yahoo and hot mail from inside those programs into GMail. Entirely up to you. Google apps are very robust.

 

[spinedoc77]

Thanks guys, this is really frustrating, I just want an app that shows me my folders. Another major weakness I'm seeing is that the email apps I've used don't change the server, so if I read an email it only shows read on the app itself, but on the server and any other email app it is unread, what a pain. The iOS app changes the server, so if I delete, read, flag, etc a message it happens at the source and all apps connecting to it will update.

So I'm really surprised here, are these the best email apps Android has to offer?

 

[ugahairydawgs]

I haven't noticed any. I've honestly been fine with the stock mail apps on both platforms. Except for there's no option to mark all as read on either. But both work fine for emailing on the road.

The stock iOS Mail app allows for you to mark all messages as read. You just have to click edit, select the messages you want, and hit Mark > As Read

 

[Silvereel]

Sounds like someone's missing their iPhone

 

[TacticalDesire]

The stock iOS Mail app allows for you to mark all messages as read. You just have to click edit, select the messages you want, and hit Mark > As Read

But there's no select all. I get a lot of emails and its extremely tedious to tap every one of them.

 

[viewfly]

But there's no select all. I get a lot of emails and its extremely tedious to tap every one of them.

Yes there is. Try this

In my quick search I could not find this tip, so I will share.



Mark "ALL" as Read in Email.



I read most of my email on my phone, and with my mail on my iPad as well the unread mail piles up.



Here's something I found recently.



1. Tap Edit

2. Select a Message (Red Dot, with Check Mark will Appear)

3. Push and Hold the Mark Button.

3A. While Holding the Mark Button, Un-Select the Message you initially Selected from Step 2. (Red Dot will Disappear)

4. Release the mark button. The "Mark As Read" and "Cancel" buttons will slide up from the botton.

5. Select "Mark as Read" and it will mark all of your unread mail.

 

[marc11]

Yes there is. Try this

In my quick search I could not find this tip, so I will share.



Mark "ALL" as Read in Email.



I read most of my email on my phone, and with my mail on my iPad as well the unread mail piles up.



Here's something I found recently.



1. Tap Edit

2. Select a Message (Red Dot, with Check Mark will Appear)

3. Push and Hold the Mark Button.

3A. While Holding the Mark Button, Un-Select the Message you initially Selected from Step 2. (Red Dot will Disappear)

4. Release the mark button. The "Mark As Read" and "Cancel" buttons will slide up from the botton.

5. Select "Mark as Read" and it will mark all of your unread mail.

That is a great tip, thanks!

 

[blackhand1001]

Thanks guys, this is really frustrating, I just want an app that shows me my folders. Another major weakness I'm seeing is that the email apps I've used don't change the server, so if I read an email it only shows read on the app itself, but on the server and any other email app it is unread, what a pain. The iOS app changes the server, so if I delete, read, flag, etc a message it happens at the source and all apps connecting to it will update.

So I'm really surprised here, are these the best email apps Android has to offer?

The stock android email app has folder support. I also use hotmail and it syncs my folders. On the stock android email app it sets up activesync by default which syncs folders, read/unread status, and any changes you make are also made on the servers. To access your folders, Click the inbox folder to see your list of folders. This may look different in the phone ui, but it works. I'll get back to you on instructions for the phone version. I'll do it on my galaxy nexus.

I created test folder on my laptop in the web browser and it automatically showed up on my nexus 7.


Update: process is the same. Just click the account list on the top first and hit show all folders. Then click inbox to show the subfolders.

 

[mib1800]

Thanks guys, this is really frustrating, I just want an app that shows me my folders. Another major weakness I'm seeing is that the email apps I've used don't change the server, so if I read an email it only shows read on the app itself, but on the server and any other email app it is unread, what a pain. The iOS app changes the server, so if I delete, read, flag, etc a message it happens at the source and all apps connecting to it will update.

So I'm really surprised here, are these the best email apps Android has to offer?

Have you really seriously try out Android email clients? Sounds like you havent. Most email clients create accounts. Go Settings->Account. Find the a/c for the email and activate "Sync" and it will sync your changes both directions (phone + server)

Gmail client (as well as other clients) you can even select which folders/labels to sync. Most email clients will present you folders/labels in hierarchy or other structure. So I don't understand what is your problem?

 

[TacticalDesire]

Yes there is. Try this

In my quick search I could not find this tip, so I will share.



Mark "ALL" as Read in Email.



I read most of my email on my phone, and with my mail on my iPad as well the unread mail piles up.



Here's something I found recently.



1. Tap Edit

2. Select a Message (Red Dot, with Check Mark will Appear)

3. Push and Hold the Mark Button.

3A. While Holding the Mark Button, Un-Select the Message you initially Selected from Step 2. (Red Dot will Disappear)

4. Release the mark button. The "Mark As Read" and "Cancel" buttons will slide up from the botton.

5. Select "Mark as Read" and it will mark all of your unread mail.

Wow. Great tip. If only apple would make it more obvious.

 

[viewfly]

Wow. Great tip. If only apple would make it more obvious.

Apple has always been known to add a bit of mystery for users to find on their own.

 

[spinedoc77]

The stock android email app has folder support. I also use hotmail and it syncs my folders. On the stock android email app it sets up activesync by default which syncs folders, read/unread status, and any changes you make are also made on the servers. To access your folders, Click the inbox folder to see your list of folders. This may look different in the phone ui, but it works. I'll get back to you on instructions for the phone version. I'll do it on my galaxy nexus.

Image
I created test folder on my laptop in the web browser and it automatically showed up on my nexus 7.


Update: process is the same. Just click the account list on the top first and hit show all folders. Then click inbox to show the subfolders.

Image

Hmm, I can't get folders to work in the stock email program. I hit the show all folders and it just shows my inbox, sent, drafts and junk but doesn't show the folders I created, I can't find an option or setting to choose which folders sync. Also how do you get split pane view like that? I can't find an option for it. I also have a red seal instead of a yellow seal on my email envelope icon, I wonder if I have a different stock app.

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Have you really seriously try out Android email clients? Sounds like you havent. Most email clients create accounts. Go Settings->Account. Find the a/c for the email and activate "Sync" and it will sync your changes both directions (phone + server)

Gmail client (as well as other clients) you can even select which folders/labels to sync. Most email clients will present you folders/labels in hierarchy or other structure. So I don't understand what is your problem?

Absolutely yes, I've tried them out. I've synced successfully, but then when I go into another program or access thru the web the emails are unread, etc. I don't use the gmail client because I need a client that can take my hotmail as well, otherwise I would just use the hotmail and gmail clients next to each other, which may not be a bad idea, although I was hoping for a unified inbox like iOS. The server issues only happen with 3rd party apps, the stock app does sync well with the server, I just can't get folders to work on it.

 

[blackhand1001]

Hmm, I can't get folders to work in the stock email program. I hit the show all folders and it just shows my inbox, sent, drafts and junk but doesn't show the folders I created, I can't find an option or setting to choose which folders sync. Also how do you get split pane view like that? I can't find an option for it. I also have a red seal instead of a yellow seal on my email envelope icon, I wonder if I have a different stock app.

----------



Absolutely yes, I've tried them out. I've synced successfully, but then when I go into another program or access thru the web the emails are unread, etc. I don't use the gmail client because I need a client that can take my hotmail as well, otherwise I would just use the hotmail and gmail clients next to each other, which may not be a bad idea, although I was hoping for a unified inbox like iOS. The server issues only happen with 3rd party apps, the stock app does sync well with the server, I just can't get folders to work on it.

Try hitting the inbox in the list to see if it expands subfolders. Make sure you have it set up with exchange and not pop3. Hotmail allows you do exchange. The stock android email client on the nexus phones sets it up this way automatically but if yours doesn't you can manually do it.

Heres the server info to set up exchange.

Once you do that your folders, read status, and everything else should sync perfectly.

 

[Tinmania]

Hmm, I can't get folders to work in the stock email program. I hit the show all folders and it just shows my inbox, sent, drafts and junk but doesn't show the folders I created, I can't find an option or setting to choose which folders sync. Also how do you get split pane view like that? I can't find an option for it. I also have a red seal instead of a yellow seal on my email envelope icon, I wonder if I have a different stock app.

----------



Absolutely yes, I've tried them out. I've synced successfully, but then when I go into another program or access thru the web the emails are unread, etc. I don't use the gmail client because I need a client that can take my hotmail as well, otherwise I would just use the hotmail and gmail clients next to each other, which may not be a bad idea, although I was hoping for a unified inbox like iOS. The server issues only happen with 3rd party apps, the stock app does sync well with the server, I just can't get folders to work on it.

I think your hotmail is being accessed via POP3.

The stock email app on my Note 2 setup my live/hotmail email account as exchange.






Michael

 

[spinedoc77]

Try hitting the inbox in the list to see if it expands subfolders. Make sure you have it set up with exchange and not pop3. Hotmail allows you do exchange. The stock android email client on the nexus phones sets it up this way automatically but if yours doesn't you can manually do it.

Heres the server info to set up exchange.

Image

Once you do that your folders, read status, and everything else should sync perfectly.

I've got it set up as a Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync account. The only difference is my exchange server is m.hotmail.com, I'll try your exchange server name. (edit: I tried that server name, it works fine but still no folders).

I tried hitting inbox, it just goes to the inbox folder but doesn't display any other of my folders.

----------

I think your hotmail is being accessed via POP3.

The stock email app on my Note 2 setup my live/hotmail email account as exchange.






Michael

I checked it's setup as exchange. Very weird, maybe it's a setting in hotmail itself?

 

[Tinmania]

I checked it's setup as exchange. Very weird, maybe it's a setting in hotmail itself?

That is weird. By the way mine is using m.hotmail.com without issue.

When you into settings for that account, and then under the Exchange section go into folder sync settings, what is it showing? Mine shows all my folders I have for my live.com address.

When I go to live.com in a browser on my mac it shows the folder I just added with my Note 2. And vice versa after I added one in the browser.




Michael

 

[spinedoc77]

That is weird. By the way mine is using m.hotmail.com without issue.

When you into settings for that account, and then under the Exchange section go into folder sync settings, what is it showing? Mine shows all my folders I have for my live.com address.

When I go to live.com in a browser on my mac it shows the folder I just added with my Note 2. And vice versa after I added one in the browser.




Michael

I can see ALL my folders in that setting, but they still don't show up. I can create folders inside the android app, but can only save them to the folders available on the app, which are simply inbox, drafts, sent, and junk. If I save them in android they do show up on hotmail checking it on the web.

 

[spinedoc77]

Hmm I think the issue might be that the android app is not showing subfolders. If I have a main folder such as inbox it will show it, but if I place folders inside that main folder it won't open up and show the folders inside of it. I verified this by taking a subfolder which didn't show up in the android app and placing it in what hotmail calls the "base", which is just the highest hierarchy and sure enough it now shows in the android app.

The iOS app breaks down all the folders and subfolders with no problem at all. Are you guys actually getting subfolders showing up on your android app?

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Also how do you enable split pane view in the stock android app? I found the setting in general, but it doesn't do anything if it's checked.

 

[Tinmania]

I can see ALL my folders in that setting, but they still don't show up. I can create folders inside the android app, but can only save them to the folders available on the app, which are simply inbox, drafts, sent, and junk. If I save them in android they do show up on hotmail checking it on the web.

Folders within my inbox folders show when reading mail (show all folders), and show in folder sync options as well. Maybe it was just one of those folders that was corrupt or something. I would try putting them back one by one.





Michael

 

[Tinmania]

[/COLOR]Also how do you enable split pane view in the stock android app? I found the setting in general, but it doesn't do anything if it's checked.

I'm pretty sure the it only shows in landscape orientation on a phone. The screenshot showing it earlier looks like it is from a tablet in portrait mode, and not from a phone.




Michael

 

[blackhand1001]

Hmm I think the issue might be that the android app is not showing subfolders. If I have a main folder such as inbox it will show it, but if I place folders inside that main folder it won't open up and show the folders inside of it. I verified this by taking a subfolder which didn't show up in the android app and placing it in what hotmail calls the "base", which is just the highest hierarchy and sure enough it now shows in the android app.

The iOS app breaks down all the folders and subfolders with no problem at all. Are you guys actually getting subfolders showing up on your android app?

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Also how do you enable split pane view in the stock android app? I found the setting in general, but it doesn't do anything if it's checked.

The subfolders show up on mine no problem. The two pane layout was from my nexus 7.