Thunderbird for iOS: A First Look at the Native iPhone Email App in Development
The team has been working hard behind the scenes laying a strong foundation for the Thunderbird iOS app. Rather than leveraging existing code, we are building natively from scratch. This fresh start allows us to take everything we’ve learned from Thunderbird Desktop and Android to ensure a fast, reliable, and modern experience on your iPhone right from the start.
Our ultimate goal is seamless cross-device experience. Whether you’re sitting at your desktop computer, checking messages on the go, your workflow should feel effortless and unified.
Right now, we are focused heavily on getting the core foundations right. We are excited about the momentum because having clean architecture today means we can layer on exciting new features much faster in the future.
Below we’ve captured some of our work in progress. Nothing is final, but we wanted to share what we are cooking up so far. If you have feedback, keep reading on. At the bottom of the post we have a link to a user research study where we want to hear from you and what you want to see from Thunderbird for iOS.
Hassle-free setup
We know people are really busy, often doing more than one thing at a time. We’re making login fast, secure, and fully automatic, so whether you’re signing in with a single click or setting up multiple accounts, you can get to your inbox quickly.
Solid reliable connections
An email app is only as good as its connection. Behind the scenes, we’re building a background sync that maintains a steady connection with your provider that keeps your inbox up to date while respecting your battery life.
Core daily tools
Your daily email routine should feel effortless. We’re polishing the essentials: a clutter-free, easy-to-read inbox layout paired with a clean, modern editor that lets you format messages smoothly without getting in your way.
Designed for growth
Thunderbird has always belonged to its community. We’re structuring the app with clean code and an experimental feature flag system so it’s easy for community developers to contribute. This means power users will be able to test out new experimental features early, and external contributors can easily help us extend what the app can do.
When can you try it?
Our goal is to have a first version ready for community testing in the next few months.
Building with our community, not just for people, is core to what we are trying to do. To help us decide what to build next after our first release, we’d love your input. If you had to pick the top three things that matter most to your daily email routine, what would they be?
➡️ Survey link
Update: the survey has now closed. Thanks to all that responded!
A note to the community
Lastly, we know how long many of you have been asking for and waiting for Thunderbird on iOS. Whether you’ve dropped a comment on our forums, tagged us on social media, or simply kept an eye on our progress, thank you for your patience!
Bringing Thunderbird to iPhone and iPad isn’t just about building an app; it’s about doing it right so it serves you reliably for years to come. Today, we want to pop open the hood, share where we are, and work with everyone to design the best possible experience.
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