Observed Signal · Jun 11, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: t3n · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Proton’s Easy Switch Removes Trackers from Gmail
Swiss email provider Proton has launched an "Easy Switch" feature that lets users import Gmail messages into Proton Mail and, according to the company, strip trackers from those emails. Using OAuth, Proton acts as an intermediary to access the Gmail API and synchronize mail; imported messages remain available in Gmail. The current implementation supports email import but not calendar sync or Google Drive access; some account configurations (e.g., prior Google-based Proton sign-ins like Proton VPN) can block adding a Gmail inbox. Proton positions the feature to attract Gmail users to its free tier (1 GB storage). The company has faced criticism over past compliance with legal requests — a March 2026 report and Proton’s transparency data show thousands of legal orders processed — underscoring that Proton is not immune to law-enforcement data demands.
A privacy-focused email import feature that strips email trackers could reduce tracking signals available to advertisers and marketing measurement, but the change is provider-specific and limited in scope (Gmail still accessible and technical limitations exist).
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Gmail is estimated to have 1.8 billion monthly users according to Demandsage.
- Proton launched an "Easy Switch" feature that imports Gmail messages into Proton Mail and, Proton says, removes trackers from those emails.
- Proton uses OAuth to obtain access to a user's Gmail via the Gmail API and acts as an intermediary to synchronize mail.
- Easy Switch currently imports email but does not yet sync calendar data or provide access to Google Drive documents.
- Proton was criticized in March 2026 for sharing a customer’s payment data with Swiss authorities (reported by 404 Media); Proton's 2025 transparency report records 9,301 legal orders received and more than 8,000 orders fulfilled, with 988 contested.
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Google allows Gmail address changes in Germany
Google has begun rolling out a feature that lets Gmail users change the local part of their email address (the part before “@gmail.com”), a capability that was first launched in the United States and is now being made available in Germany. The original address remains active as an alternative and cannot be permanently removed without deleting the entire Google account. Users can maintain up to four Gmail addresses per account (the original plus three alternatives) and may change the address only once per year. Some Google-linked services still require the previous address for login, while Google services such as YouTube accept the new address. Chromebook users must remove the old account from the device and add the new one manually and are advised to back up local data beforehand.
Google Adds Switching Tools to Import Chats into Gemini
Google has introduced 'switching tools' for its Gemini AI that let users transfer personal "memories" (key preferences, relationships, personal context) and entire chat histories from other chatbots into Gemini. Memories are imported by following a Gemini-suggested prompt in the user's current chatbot and copying the generated response back into Gemini; chat histories can be uploaded as ZIP files and made searchable. The feature aims to lower the friction for users to move from competing chatbots — including ChatGPT and Claude — to Gemini. The article notes market context: OpenAI's ChatGPT reported about 900 million weekly active users while Google said Gemini surpassed 750 million monthly active users during Alphabet’s Q4 earnings.
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