Apple Mail’s new tabs: What email senders need to know

In the ever-evolving world of email, big changes are on the horizon; this time courtesy of Apple. With the upcoming release of iOS 18.2 (slated for Dec 2024), Apple Mail will introduce on-device categorization, a feature that automatically sorts incoming messages into tabs. If this sounds familiar, it’s because Gmail introduced a similar tabbed inbox back in 2013. That change sparked a wave of concern among email senders, yet ultimately reshaped how subscribers engage with their inboxes.

Now, Apple Mail’s redesign is poised to make an impact as well. Let’s dive into what this means for email senders and how you can prepare for these updates.

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What’s Changing

Apple Mail will now categorize emails into 4 distinct tabs:

• Primary: Messages from people you know and time-sensitive communications.
• Transactions: Receipts and order confirmations.
• Updates: Newsletters and social media notifications.
• Promotions: Sales and marketing emails.

By default, messages will automatically sort into these tabs. However, users will have the ability to adjust the categorization manually. Notably, this feature will only apply to Apple Mail on iOS, leaving desktop users unaffected for now.

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Will tabs impact open and click rates?

It’s natural to wonder whether Apple Mail’s new tabs will impact email performance metrics. Historically, when Gmail introduced tabs, senders feared significant declines in open rates, especially for marketing emails routed to the Promotions tab. But those fears didn’t entirely materialize. Subscribers adapted, learned to navigate their tabs, and continued engaging with the content that mattered most to them.

That said, the new Apple Mail tabs feature will have some impact, particularly as users grow accustomed to the changes. But here’s the key takeaway: the Promotions and Update tabs are still part of the inbox. For newsletters and marketing emails, landing in one of these tabs doesn’t mean landing in the dreaded spam folder; it simply means a more organized inbox experience for the recipient. 

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Other new features in Apple Mail

Apple’s updates go beyond tabs. Here are a couple additional features to note:

• Digest View: Apple will group messages from the same sender into a single view, making it easier for users to browse, archive, or delete emails.
• Summaries: Before opening an email, users will see a short AI-generated summary of its contents, with the option to tap 'Summarize' for lengthy emails.

These features highlight Apple’s continued focus on improving the user experience while giving senders new opportunities to stand out.

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What should beehiiv senders do?

While there’s no immediate action required, here are a few best practices to keep in mind:

1. Focus on engaging content: As always, creating high-quality, relevant content is key to capturing attention, no matter the tab your email lands in.
2. Educate Subscribers: Encourage recipients to drag your emails to their Primary tab or adjust settings if they’d like to see your messages there.
3. Practice list hygiene: As bounces, unsubscribes, and spam complaints all impact engagement, and ultimately where your emails land, make sure you consistently keep your list clean and up-to-date. 
4. Test Placement: Test for yourself where your mail is landing and seek to understand why Apple is placing it there. 

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Adapting to an ever-changing email landscape

Whether it’s Gmail tabs, Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection, or now on-device categorization, the email world never stands still. While changes can feel daunting, they often pave the way for new opportunities to connect with audiences in meaningful ways.

Looking ahead, we expect more and more mailbox providers jumping on the Tabs bandwagon. And that’s a good thing. It's time that we as senders embrace the Promotional and Updates tabs instead of looking for ways to trick algorithms. As a colleague once said way back in 2013, "Send stuff people want and whatever inbox providers do with their interfaces will have little effect."  This quote still rings true today.