Updated on November 17 with new 2025 AI-driven mobile threat warning. Google’s ongoing campaign to narrow the security and privacy gap between Android and iPhone, as well as the wider Google and Apple ecosystems has just taken its latest twist. For 2 billion Gmail users, this could completely change how you use email.

Future Gmail versions could include support for temporary email addresses if Google ever enables this feature that has been discovered within its app code. Android Authority discovered the feature, referred to as “Shielded Email,

Google is said to be working on a new feature for its Gmail service, called "Shield Email." The potential addition was first spotted by Android Authority in the latest version of the Gmail Android app. The idea behind "Shield Email" is to give users a temporary email address that they can share with third parties, rather than their personal one.

Shielded Email will generate unique email addresses that you can use to sign up for apps and services. All emails to the unique address will be forwarded to your primary inbox. Spam emails have become a big problem,