Google declared the status of offline Gmail service as stopped for at least Google Chrome browser. It is because Google officially stopped usage of Gears in Chrome and offline Gmail feature was based on Gears. Gears, a browser plug-in had been using to provide offline gmail service. Gears store necessary data in user computer while there is no Internet access. When the computer get Internet access, Gears restore the connection with Gmail server and synchronize the user computer and gmail server. Thus user could use Gmail even though there is no Internet connection. However, Google stops its support for Gears and so the offline Gmail service based on Gears is also stopped for Google Chrome. May 24 was the last day where Google Chrome supported offline Gmail.


Users of Firefox 3.6 and Internet Explorer 8 can still use offline Gmail feature because these two browsers support Gears. If users update their browser (Internet Explorer and Firefox) to the latest versions, offline Gmail service will be discontinued. Google is not abandoning the idea of offline Gmail. They will restart the offline Gmail service at this summer with new technology.