Google+ users can now comment and share directly from notification emails

Many of the updates Google has made to its services over the last year or so have been in the name of tighter integration, with Google+ being a major catalyst of change. That’s certainly the case for the latest Gmail update — Google+ notification emails are now completely tied into Google+ itself. Users can view, comment on, and “+1” post from directly from the Gmail inbox. Any comments you make are posted in real time, as are any responses that you might receive — the post in your notification email is just as live as it is on the Google+ page itself. It’s also easier to reply to Google+ notifications on your mobile — you can reply directly to a notification email to add a comment to the post in question (similar to the way Facebook notification emails have worked for a few years now). While it’s hard to say if this new integration will make users more likely to engage with Google’s fledgling social network, it certainly isn’t a surprising move to see the company continue to strengthen the ties between Gmail and Google+.