A new feature in Gmail lets you track packages and book flights right from your email that is “Summary Cards”

Competition in the email market is intensifying as both Apple and Google are rolling out new features to enhance their respective services. Following Apple’s introduction of Gmail-like features in its Mail app with iOS 18, such as email categorization for promotions, updates, and transactions, and the upcoming addition of Smart Replies in iOS 18.1, Google has responded with its own updates to Gmail. On Wednesday, Google announced a series of improvements aimed at making inbox management even more efficient.

Gmail is set to introduce revamped “summary cards” that help users better organize emails and take actions directly from their inbox. These cards will allow users to track packages, check in for flights, set reminders, mark bills as paid, and much more, all without having to dig through individual emails. The summary cards will visually organize content from emails in various categories such as Purchases, Events, Bills, and Travel, providing quick access to important information like receipts, travel confirmations, and reservations.

These changes are designed to align with the evolving needs of Gmail users, though the timing suggests that Apple’s recent updates to its Mail app may have accelerated Google’s rollout. The new summary cards will appear at the top of emails, summarizing key details like delivery dates, flight schedules, bill due dates, and seating arrangements for concerts. Users can take further actions by clicking buttons at the bottom of the cards to track shipments, view orders, check tickets, pay bills, manage bookings, and more.

Building on its existing summary cards, which previously offered snippets like package tracking info, Google has now made them dynamic. The new cards will update in real-time with the latest information and include additional actions that were not available before, such as setting bill reminders, checking in for flights, or inviting others to an event.

In addition to these updates, Gmail is launching a “Happening Soon” section within the inbox, where users will find timely summary cards for quick access to upcoming events or actions. Eventually, these cards will also appear in Gmail searches, making it even easier to find relevant information when needed.

The updates will begin rolling out from October 2, starting with purchase summary cards on both iOS and Android, which some users had already noticed ahead of the official announcement. Over the next few weeks, additional summary cards and the new “Happening Soon” section will be introduced, with the features eventually covering purchases, events, bills, and travel categories across the inbox.