Thunderbird users on iPhone and iPad now have a real update to get excited about. The team has just revealed the first real preview of its upcoming native iOS email app, which is actively being developed.
According to devs, Thunderbird for iOS is being built from the ground up, unlike the Android version that started with the K-9 Mail project. The team says this should make the app faster, more reliable, and better suited for Apple devices.
This is a big step for Mozilla’s popular desktop mail client. The app has been available on Linux, Windows, and macOS for a long time, and later came to Android, but there is still no official Thunderbird app for iPhone or iPad yet.
Right now, the team is focused on getting the basics right. They are working on making account setup quick and mostly automatic for services like Google and Microsoft, and they want to make it easy for people with multiple accounts.
Another key area is background syncing. Thunderbird says the app will keep inboxes updated without draining your battery, which is especially important for a mobile email app.
Early previews show the team is working on the main parts of the app, like a simple inbox layout and a message editor with formatting tools. The design isn’t final yet, but it shows where Thunderbird is heading with the iOS version.
The team is planning ahead for future updates. Thunderbird is adding an experimental feature flag system so users can try new features early and outside contributors can help develop the app more easily.
However, there’s no set release date yet. The team hopes to have a first version ready for community testing in the next few months, but regular iPhone users can’t download it from the App Store just yet.
Thunderbird also says this project isn’t just for the iPhone. The goal is to bring Thunderbird to both iPhone and iPad, so users can have a consistent email experience across desktop, Android, and Apple mobile devices.
For additional details, see the official announcement.
Image credits: Thunderbird
