PRODUCT SPACE @ UC SAN DIEGO CAPSTONE PROJECT
Communicating made easier and more enjoyable
Refreshing Apple Mail to promote productivity and seamless integration
ROLE
Product Designer
TIMELINE
8 weeks
Mar - Jun 2024
TEAM
Alina Pham (Product Manager)
Jihwan Kwak (Product Marketer)
SKILL
User Research
User Experience Design
User Interface Design
User Testing
TOOL
Figma
CONTEXT
What is Apple Mail?
An email client that enables Apple users to send and receive emails from people all over the world, promoting communication, organization, and focus. Their market strategy highlights the seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem, targeting avid Apple users.
Fig: The current interface of Apple Mail
THE PROBLEM
Only 37% of iPhone users utilize Apple Mail, the default mailing app
Despite Apple Mail holding the highest market share among email clients, only 37% of iPhone users actively use it, and many do so simply because it is a built-in app. When given a choice, a significant portion of users switch to alternatives like Gmail or Outlook for features Apple Mail lacks (including us)! If Apple Mail is built into every iPhone, why are so many users still choosing something else? Let’s dive deeper into why this is the case.
Apple Mail’s Market Share
49%
Apple Mail Market Share
Other Email Clients’ Market Shares
Actual Usage of Email Clients*
37%
58%
Gmail Users
Apple Mail Users
Other
*Based on our interview data
OUR SOLUTION
A modernized interface that retains Apple’s signature sleek and minimalistic look, while adding relevant features that make sending emails more efficient and fun
With its users in mind, each step of sending an email was reimagined to make communicating easier and more enjoyable. Through the implementation of an enhanced filter, restructured menu, customizable interface, and AI task manager, users are 75%* more inclined to stay loyal to the Apple ecosystem.
*Based on our user testing results.
NOTE
But wait! Before you scroll any further, Apple has made some changes to Apple Mail
Looks like Apple had a similar idea! Several features from the iOS 18.2 update, such as mail categorization, contact photos, and a refreshed layout echo solutions from this redesign, which was wrapped up before those updates were released.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
How might we enhance the layout of Apple Mail to maximize the features made available and optimize user experience?
MARKET RESEARCH
Competitors offer nonnegotiable features that Apple Mail lacks, causing iPhone users to gravitate towards them
Although Apple Mail has the highest market share (51%), it lacks advanced features users expect in a mailing client that their competitors offer (i.e. functionality to add accounts in-app, undo button, and advanced filtering options).
Gmail
Outlook
Market Share
51%
33%
5%
3%
UNCOVERING THE GENERAL PUBLIC’S OPINIONS
Most of the recent reviews are 1-2 stars on the App Store
At first glance, Apple Mail appears to be well liked by the general public on the App Store with a high rating of 4.2/5 stars and 71k reviews. However, upon digging deeper into the reviews, we noticed that the most recent reviews rated it 1-2 stars with users feeling frustrated with the minimal filtering options, limited customization, and back-end issues.
Fig: Most recent ratings and reviews of Apple Mail on the App Store
PRIMARY RESEARCH
We interviewed 15 iPhone users in-person and found that...
37%
used Apple Mail as their primary email client
60%
have never used Apple Mail before
2.5/5
average user satisfaction rating
A.Y.
I hate how I have to go to settings to add an email. It should be in the app.
E.C.
On Gmail, you can undo an action when completed but there is no undo action in Apple Mail.
N.L.
It was confusing navigating through multiple accounts because they were on the same page. Would be nice to be able to switch accounts seamlessly.
USER PERSONAS
To visualize and prioritize the needs of our target audience, we developed 2 distinct user personas: Steve and Jill
Steve represents a busy CEO who needs a seamless way to manage multiple email accounts and stay connected with his team, while Jill is a college student looking for a modern, intuitive email app to help her communicate professionally and stay organized.
PAIN POINTS
After synthesizing our research findings, we identified 3 prominent issues:
Poor Organization
Lacks advanced filtering options, making it difficult to search through thousands of emails
Complex Menus
Features have low discoverability through wordy menus, resulting in increased friction and unnecessary clicks
Unappealing UI
Limited customization causes less engagement and decreased motivation from users to use it
DATA-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS
To effectively tackle each pain point, I listened closely to what users were struggling with and reimagined key parts of Apple Mail to better meet their needs
Filter Enhancement
Restructure the filter feature and add more relevant options
Reimagine the Menu
Implement intuitive labels and icons
User-powered Decisions
Ability to customize the UI based on personal preferences
SKETCHING OUT THE BLUEPRINT
Through the initial exploration of the lofi wireframes, I visualized how to layout the information architecture and add new features to align with Apple’s branding
I identified the core user flows of an email client—browsing the homepage, checking an inbox, reading emails, and drafting messages—to guide my lofi wireframes. This approach ensured that every design decision directly enhanced the user experience where it matters most.
STEP 1 | HOMEPAGE
STEP 2 | IN AN INBOX
STEP 3 | OPENING AN EMAIL
STEP 4 | DRAFTING AN EMAIL
MENTOR FEEDBACK
Before hopping into the high-fidelity prototypes, I reached out to my mentors, Sam and Ayla to review the lofis. Here are their thoughts:
DESIGN DECISIONS
New profile icon that enables display customization and adding an account in-app
The profile icon sits at the top-right corner of the homepage, aligning with users’ mental models and common design conventions. It allows users to manage or add accounts without digging through Settings. I also introduced display customization here to give users more control and personality, making Apple Mail feel uniquely theirs.
DESIGN DECISIONS
Segmented toggle to automatically sort emails into “Primary”, “Social”, or “Promotional” categories
I switched the email categorization from a dropdown menu to the segmented toggle to reduce the number of clicks needed to sort the inbox, make it easier for users to navigate between different inboxes, and provide a clear visual indicator of which inbox the user is in.
DESIGN DECISIONS
New AI-powered task manager designed to leverage the existing Apple ecosystem
The AI-powered task manager appears contextually when an email is opened, offering various options like adding events to a calendar or reminders, based on the contents of the email. This streamlines productivity by connecting Apple Mail to the Apple ecosystem and eliminating the need to switch between apps.
USABILITY TESTING
Of the 8 participants that tested out the prototype...
75%
said they would be more inclined utilize Apple Mail as their primary email client
100%
noted “Schedule Send” was in a more discoverable and intuitive location
100%
expressed positive feedback towards customization feature
However, we also received feedback that the profile icon and task manager were difficult to find
ITERATION
Increasing the discoverability of the profile icon and task manager
To improve discoverability, I added a colored border to the profile icon and updated the task manager icon’s size and color. These subtle changes guide attention through visual hierarchy and help key features stand out.
NEXT STEPS
If I had more time, I would...
Conduct further usability testing to iterate on our hifis and ensure these are changes the users will actually use
Expand our user research across different demographics (i.e. non-iPhone users or those who switched to Apple Mail)
Fully build out capabilities of the AI task manager to better optimize the Apple ecosystem
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What did I learn?
Designing less is more! While some of the design changes appeared to be simple or small, user testing proved how valuable they were to the users.
Know the “why” behind every design decision. I focused on backing my designs by research and data, rather than solutions that I thought would be beneficial to the users.
The importance of getting feedback. Obtaining feedback from our mentors and other Product Space members helped us test our assumptions and reveal blind spots, enabling us to create a more user-centered product in the end.
GIVING FLOWERS
The people that made this possible
Thank you x1000000 to my wonderful fellows, Jihwan and Alina, who helped make this happen. I am truly so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with such brilliant, dedicated, and funny individuals. I also wanted to shoutout our mentors, Ayla and Sam, who guided us through each step of the project. Their insights were so valuable and always appreciated! Lastly, thank you to Product Space @ UC San Diego for giving me a home away from home and the space to blossom as a designer.
