Google has announced that it is rolling out a new feature that will allow people to track their orders right from within Gmail. The company says that it will be available "in the coming weeks" and will work across most major shipping carriers in the United States.
That's a major distinction compared to the approach that Apple recently took with its iOS 16 package tracking feature. There, only orders placed with supported businesses and made using Apple Pay can be tracked via the Wallet app.
Track all the things
Google's announcement, made via blog post, means that package tracking details will be available right from within the Gmail app with information showing the various stages of delivery. "For orders with tracking numbers, Gmail will prominently display your current delivery status in your inbox list view and in a summary card at the top of individual emails."
"You can opt in to receive package tracking updates right from your inbox or in Gmail settings," Google says. "Gmail will then automatically look up order statuses using your tracking numbers and surface them in your inbox." Importantly, the company also says that "you can opt out at any time through your Gmail settings.
Google also intends to improve on its initial rollout in the coming months, saying that it will proactively surface deliveries that have been delayed.
The new feature is set to be available just in time for the holiday season, so you'll at least know when your package has gone missing. Unfortunately, Google isn't yet in a position to actually fix that for you — but who knows, maybe that's a feature that'll make its debut next year.
