You've got (e)mail!

Let me paint you a picture: it's Monday, and you’re already dreading what's about to happen - it's time to open your (probably full) inbox. We've revolutionized many things in the workplace, but the core idea behind email remains unchanged. You must still read through them, type a reply, click send, and off it goes.?

I don't like emails, but some tools have made them more manageable. For example, I love Superhuman and will convince anyone and everyone to use it. Why? Because, even if I hate emails, they're still essential for business. Example case: this newsletter reached you thanks to an email. That's why big and small companies alike are making tremendous efforts to improve it.?

One case is Ryan Noon. During the 2016 US Presidential elections, he saw email hacks become a crucial narrative. Data from both personal and campaign accounts leaked and created chaos. If Google and Microsoft suffered hacks, the average person was also vulnerable. That's when he decided to start his own company, Material Security.?

His startup focuses on making emails as safe and secure as possible. It does so by creating several steps to make hackers' life hell. It first started with personal accounts, then made a massive leap to corporate. The startup has already reached a $1.1 billion valuation and shows no slowing down.?

Then, there's Apple. For years now, it has been making strides in privacy and security. In 2021, it implemented the Mail Privacy Protection, or MPP, which caused a stir. Like everything Apple, it divided the world. Privacy advocates loved it, while marketers hated it.?

The thing is, Apple wasn't done. It's now ramping up security and blocks all sorts of tracking. In short, tracking how many emails you open is essential for marketers to understand what interests you. Apple's new security feature allows you to block this tracking. So, now, marketers (myself included) are pulling their hair, but the rest of the world loves it.?

It's fascinating that something as old as email itself is still important. In fact, even Google and Microsoft are making great strides to keep emails as safe as possible. Let’s hope Google does it right this time. After all, email is here to stay. So, yeah, reading emails might be a drag, but it'll be much safer now.

What do you think?

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