I’m really not happy about this announcement. Sparrow is being acquired by Google in an acqui-hire deal. Google has no plans to continue the Sparrow product line so they will kill it. This is the part that makes me sad.
The Sparrow product line includes a Mac client and an iPhone product, both beautifully designed and a lot of fun to use. Both also increase productivity which is not easy to do in the very saturated email client space. Sparrow’s clients eclipse Apple’s own on both platforms too which is not so easy given that the Sparrow team is so small.
I’m glad for the team that they will make a little cash and that they’ve got a great career ahead of them at Google, but I will miss their products. Even if Google incorporates a lot of the same features into Gmail, it will never be the same.
Windows version of Sparrow?
Apparently a developer was working on Sparrow for Windows and he wasn’t part of the Sparrow team.
He was apparently nearing a feature complete beta and is now confused about what he is going to do with the product. He is also a bit dismayed which is understandable given that he put a lot of work into what is now a dead brand.
Update: According to The Verge there was never a Windows version. Developer is not reporting facts accurately.
Video showing the Windows version of Sparrow
The Verge summarizes
The Verge has a great article summarizing what the acquisition means for the company and for Sparrow fans.
