It’s Official: Tabs & BIMI Logos Finally in Apple Mail!

Effectively reaching Apple Mail users has been challenging due to the absence of native email categorization and BIMI authentication on inbox placement. Limited brand visibility and recognition have been among the top concerns of email marketers, especially in the United States, where the majority of email opens occur on Apple Mail. 

But the times, they are a-changing’! Apple has announced the introduction of two highly anticipated inbox features: tabs and BIMI logos. 

At Mavlers, we are excited about these updates because they will enhance our ability, as well as our clients’, to reach target demographics with greater visibility and recognition. Our people-centric approach to email marketing has received a much-needed boost on the technological front. Our clients, particularly those focused on the US market, will finally breathe a sigh of relief. 

In this post, we explore and resolve doubts related to these updates. It’s exciting times, folks! Let’s get started! 

• What’s the update in Apple Mail iOS 18?
  
• When is it rolling out?
  
• Where is it rolling out?
  
• Who are these updates for?
  
• Why these updates?
  
• Should you worry about deliverability?

What’s the update? 

During the recent Worldwide Developers’ Conference (WWDC), Apple revealed the addition of tabs to enhance the email experience, aiming for better organization and user-friendliness. Apple Mail will now sort incoming emails into four categories: Primary, Transactions, Promotions, and Updates. (see below image)

Image Source: Apple

Notably, Apple Mail will utilize AI-driven “on-device categorization” to distinguish between the types of incoming emails. 
Furthermore, the introduction of BIMI logos, which are highly popular among brands, has been well-received by email marketers. BIMI, which stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification, allows brands to display their logos in the mailboxes of their recipients. (see below image)

Image Source: Email Uplers

As you can see, the feature enables brands to display their logos directly in the inbox view, increasing brand recognition and enhancing email engagement.

When is it rolling out?

Apple Mail is set to introduce these features in September 2024. 

However, concerning AI, it’s still not sure when exactly Apple will be able to roll out its latest features in the European market. Referring to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), an iPhone spokesperson said last Friday, “We do not believe that we will be able to roll out these features to our EU users this year.”

Whether the delay will affect Apple Mail’s AI application is not clear. 

Where is it rolling out?

Currently, tabs and BIMI logos will only be available on iOS devices. As of now, MacOS users won’t have access to these features, but Apple may add them to the desktop in the future. We’re still awaiting an official announcement on that front.

But this isn’t bad news for email marketers, given that 46% of email opens happen on mobile devices, and 73% of companies focusing on email marketing prioritize mobile optimization.

Who are these updates for?

Apple Mail users and email marketers will benefit from these updates. 

As far as users are concerned, navigating an uncluttered inbox is always welcome. For instance, here’s what a frustrated Apple Mail user posted on Reddit last year. 

Image Source: Reddit

You can imagine what a tabbed inbox in Apple Mail will mean to such users. 

A well-organized inbox also helps brands stand out, thus benefiting email marketers and their clients. Sending promotional emails to an already crowded inbox is ineffective because they will likely be ignored. If noticed, they may contribute to the frustration of recipients already overwhelmed with inbox clutter. 

Why these updates?

Email recipients and subscribers prefer tabbed inboxes because of these two reasons:

• Tabs reduce inbox clutter
  
• Generally, users don’t want brands to invade the Primary tab, where they mostly view personal emails

“Most brands recognize — like it or not — tabs are here to stay. Indeed, having been copied by other inbox providers to various degrees, tabbed inbox interfaces are now common and highly accepted by and familiar to consumers,” argues Chad S. White, email marketing expert. 

Should you worry about deliverability?

When Gmail introduced tabs in 2013, marketers were concerned it might negatively affect user engagement. Moreover, reports about plummeting open rates at Gmail led marketers to blame the Promotions tab. 

It is important to understand that tab placement has nothing to do with deliverability. Every tab is a full-fledged inbox, whether Gmail or Apple Mail. 

The question of email deliverability does not arise here. No tab is to be seen as a spam folder. Rest assured, Apple Mail’s updates will not affect your deliverability. 

Deliver value to inboxes with Mavlers! 

Mavlers has a dedicated email marketing team of over 150 experts with proficiency in more than 50 ESPs/CRMs. Achieving a delivery rate of over 99%, our email specialists can optimize your campaigns from start to finish, including list segmentation, campaign management, and reporting and analytics. Get in touch with our dedicated email marketing team.