Gmail gets redesigned summary cards with more data & features

Google implemented summary cards in Gmail a few years ago to give you key snippets of data and shortcuts to quick actions as soon as you open an email in certain categories. The feature is especially useful when you’re checking emails about tickets, purchases, travel, etc. Now, Google has announced a big update to Gmail’s summary cards that will make them even more functional.

Gmail’s revamped summary cards include more options and useful info

Gmail’s summary cards appear in four categories of emails: Shopping, Events, Bills, and Travel. Now, Google is redesigning the cards to not only give them a new look but to integrate new quick actions and useful info. For purchases, the cards will show order details and the expected product delivery date. For events, you’ll be able to directly add upcoming events to your Calendar account, invite other people, and get directions to the location.

For bills, you’ll be able to check them out, pay them, or add a reminder to pay them later to your Google Tasks account. For travel emails, you’ll get data like the hotel’s check-in and check-out times. Summary cards in travel emails will also let you directly check-in for flights and manage hotel reservations.

The redesign of summary cards in Gmail also makes the feature more useful for getting data at a glance. Now you’ll get short summaries with all the essential information you need before reading the email. The cards will also include shortcuts to actions like “Get directions,” “Invite others,” “Track package,” “Check in,” “Remind me,” or “Mark as paid.” Google made sure that summary cards in Gmail were dynamic. This means that the information they display is updated in real-time in case there are changes regarding events, delivery dates, and more.

Summary cards getting a “Happening soon” section

Google wants to make summary cards a fundamental part of Gmail. So, the company will give them more prominence with a whole new “Happening soon” section. “Happening soon” will be available at the top of inboxes and in the Gmail search box. It will include summary cards for your purchases. The new section won’t be there permanently, but it will appear when there are relevant updates about your orders.

If you have multiple pending orders with delivery dates close together, Gmail will stack the relevant summary cards. You can expand all pending cards from the stacked one whenever you want. You can also dismiss summary cards altogether if you don’t find them useful.

The new summary cards are already available for purchase-related emails on Android and iOS. The company will roll out cards for events, invoices, and travel “in the coming months.” The “Happening soon” section will also take a few months to roll out.