Newton Lives On As New Owners Take Over From Essential

Popular email app Newton Mail has received another lease on life, thanks to new owners who are taking over for Andy Rubin’s failed startup Essential....
Newton Lives On As New Owners Take Over From Essential
Written by Matt Milano
  • Popular email app Newton Mail has received another lease on life, thanks to new owners who are taking over for Andy Rubin’s failed startup Essential.

    Newton has had a tumultuous history in the email market, initially being released as CloudMagic in 2013 and rebranded as Newton Mail in 2016. The app, available for iOS, macOS, Windows, Android and Chrome OS, won rave reviews across the board. In spite of its success, the original developer announced the app would be shut down in September 2018.

    The app was ultimately acquired by Andy Rubin’s (of Google Android fame) Essential and subsequently resurrected, only to face the chopping block again as a result of Essential shutting down. In the original announcement, Newton Mail was scheduled to stop working after April 30, 2020.

    In a blog post, developer Maitrik Kataria outlines how he and business partner Justin Mitchell were able to work out terms with Essential to take over ownership of the app and continue developing it. The two were motivated by a deep love for the app and its innovative approach to email.

    Just as significant, the pair are acutely aware of Newton’s troubled past, and are determined to bring some much needed stability to the app’s future. In outlining their goals moving forward, the first step in their model involves creating a contingency plan, complete with open-sourcing the app, to ensure Newton never again faces extinction—regardless of what happens to the individuals or company currently tasked with its development.

    Kataria and Mitchell are also committed to improving privacy and security, bringing Newton into compliance with the EU’s GDPR, as well as adding features like PGP integration. The company is also offering a number of promotions to existing users, as well as those who had previously cancelled their subscriptions.

    The announcement is good news for Newton users, as well as the email market in general. For email to grow and evolve, it’s important for third-party developers to continue to push the envelope, rather than relying solely on Apple, Microsoft or Google’s built-in clients.

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