Gmail app optimised for iPhone 5's 4-inch screen

Good news if you own an iPhone 5 (that'll be 5 million of you then) and use Gmail (probably a high proportion of that number). Google's email app has been updated, optimising it for the longer screen on Apple's new iPhone, The Verge reports.

That means you'll be able to see more emails displayed at once on the 4-inch screen, and will have to scroll less to read through a thread of messages. It should save you valuable seconds.

You shouldn't expect a load more bells and whistles though. iPhone 5 support is the only thing mentioned in the update notes for Gmail, so there are no fancy new features to play with. Not yet, anyway.

And if you're using Sparrow? Don't worry, you won't be left wanting. The email app, which Google bought back in July, will get a similar fix-up soon. Dominique Leca, Sparrow's co-founder, tweeted: "iPhone 5 support is coming soon to @sparrow."

Apple launched the iPhone 5 on 12 September, with the device going on sale last Friday. It features a 4-inch screen, up from 3.5 inches on the iPhone 4S, and a faster processor. The launch wasn't all roses though -- Apple ditched Google Maps baked in to iOS 6 in favour of its own stab at navigation. It was quickly discovered however that Apple Maps was far from perfect. iPhone 5 owners were up in arms, causing Apple's Tim Cook issuing an apology.

Apple ditched Google Maps because of its war against the big G's Android mobile operating system. Apple claimed Android was a stolen product, with the late Steve Jobs vowing to go "thermonuclear" over it. It's good to see that Google's still supporting iOS devices, even at a distance. Mind you, with 5 million iPhone 5 sales in the first two days, it'd be a fool not to.

Have you tried Gmail on your iPhone 5 yet? Let me know how you get on below in the comments, or on our Facebook page.