‘It’s coming’: Elon Musk hints at Xmail launch as alternative to Gmail; here’s all you need to know

After releasing his own version of ChatGPT, billionaire Elon Musk has confirmed the forthcoming launch of ‘Xmail’, prompting speculations about its potential to compete with Google’s Gmail service.

Elon Musk has confirmed the forthcoming launch of ‘Xmail'(Reuters file photo)

In a conversation on his social media platform X, Musk stated that a product dubbed ‘XMail’ is ‘coming’.

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This announcement comes as Google faced rumours of shutting down Gmail after a fake image began circulating on social media networks.

Musk hasn’t provided additional details about the service, so it’s unknown when it will be accessible. However, it’s anticipated to be integrated into the X app.

The confirmation came after Nathan McGrady, a senior member of X’s Security Engineering team, questioned about Xmail’s launch date. Musk responded, confirming that the service is on the way, laying the groundwork for what could be a huge upheaval in the email service sector.

“When are we making XMail?” he inquired.

Musk simply replied, “It’s coming.”

Meanwhile, one X user was quick to comment, “Lost trust in Gmail. Time to make the switch to Xmail asap!” “I will use my Gmail as how I use my Hotmail now, for junks,” another added.

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Gmail vs Xmail

Gmail is the world’s most popular email service with over 1.8 billion active users globally as of 2024, confirmed Demand Sage.

Responding to the news, social media strategist Rhea Freeman said X’s version of Gmail “might happen”, and if it does, “it’ll be interesting to see the uptake”.

“Elon has made huge changes to Twitter and doesn’t seem to have public opinion on side, so whether people will trust X with their email management will be something to watch,” Freeman told MailOnline.

Musk has previously stated that his long-term goal for X is to make it a “everything app”.

There are possibilities that XMail is being created at xAI, a business Musk created a year ago that specialises in artificial intelligence.

Also Read: Elon Musk calls Google ‘insane racist, anti-civilizational’ over Gemini chatbot

Google reacts to Gmail shutdown rumours

A viral post on X that claimed Gmail would be shut down has sparked worries among netizens. The post contained a screenshot of a Google email with the subject line ‘Google is sunsetting Gmail’, which instantly went across the internet.

“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,” the message reads.

“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,” it added.

The tweet sparked heated debate among Gmail users, with over 4 million views of the screenshot.

Google, on the other hand, announced on X on Friday that Gmail is not going away and “is here to stay”. Google just changed the default Gmail interface, which was previously ‘basic HTML’, to a new, more colorful one. This modification happened in January 2024.