Google finally stepped in and put an end to the speculations.
Google on Friday clarified that it is not shutting its popular email service, Gmail, after rumours on social media platforms suggested the service was coming to a close later this year.
A purported screenshot of an email addressed to Gmail users from Google showed the company was "sunsetting Gmail" on August 1 this year. The email also claimed that after August, Gmail will no longer "support sending, receiving and storing emails".
"After years of connecting millions worldwide, enabling seamless communication, and fostering countless connections, the journey of Gmail is coming to a close. As of August 1, 2024, Gmail will officially be sunsetted, marking the end of its service. This means Gmail will no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails," the screenshot read.
The screenshot was shared thousands of times over X, formerly Twitter, and TikTok, with creators claiming the move came after the Google faced backlash over its AI image tool Gemini. The image tool was the focus of a controversy this week after it generated images of "racially-diverse" Nazi soldiers.
Google finally stepped in and put an end to the speculations. "Gmail is here to stay," read its post on X.
Tech experts also took to social media to curb the rumours, adding that the company was shutting down the HTML version of Gmail this year and not the entire email service. "Gmail discontinued the HTML only version of its service, as of January of 2024. Standard @gmail works just fine. Stupid hoax," said Marsha Collier, a tech educator.
The HTML version of Gmail allows users to access their emails in low-network areas.