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I know I did.
After all, smart replies have been a feature inGmailsince 2017.
Apple Mail smart replies (left and center) and the Gmail smart reply options (right)
Why is Apple only getting around to adding that capability seven years later?
Well, I hereby rescind my scoff.
It’s miles ahead of the smart reply feature inGooglethat most of us are used to.
Apple Mail smart replies (left and center) and the Gmail smart reply options (right)
Back in September, the company announcedcontextual smart replies powered by its Gemini AI modelthat deliver more detailed responses.
I suspect that’s true for most of you, too.
(All the Gmail instances below will be from an iPhone 12 running iOS 18.1.
Otherwise, your smart reply options will appear in the suggestion bar, just above the keyboard.
Tap the reply you want, and Apple’s AI will formulate a message based on that prompt.
For more detailed steps, see our guide onhow to use smart replies in Apple Mail.
That’s how it works in theory, anyhow.
Let’s see what happens in practice.
Apple Mail’s smart replies gives me two options either I am available or I’m not.
(We’ll notice Gmail has a hard time saying no as this exercise goes on.)
Such is the case with this listener email.
Gmail provides two potential replies, but one of them “Thoughts?”
is a non-sensical reply.
The listener has already provided his thoughts, Gmail.
At first glance, the Apple Mail-supplied smart replies don’t inspire a lot of confidence.
Smart replies even throws in a thank you on my behalf.
In a way, Gmail’s smart replies amaze me none of the three options is appropriate at all.
We get a return of the useless “Thoughts?”
Apple Mail smart replies (left and center) and the Gmail smart reply options (right)
reply along with a “Sounds like fun!”
response that doesn’t address the issue at hand.
Example 4: Meeting a deadline
Deadlines provide another opportunity for smart replies to shine.
(The ensuing message even mentions the actual date of the deadline.)
I opted for cash, and the auto-generated response is updated to reflect that choice.
It will not surprise you at this point to see that Gmail’s replies are not nearly as sophisticated.
I’m particularly flabergasted by the third option, “whatever’s easiest for you.”
The email actually specifies the easiest payment!
That’s not a very smart reply at all.
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