Google's new email service, Inbox, now automatically groups all the messages about a trip into a bundle, possibly threatening Concur'sTripIt itinerary tool.
As of today, Inbox, a next-generation, mobile-first version of Gmail, no longer requires an invite to use.
Inbox aims to declutter email by bundling together related bits of information, such as bundles of travel-related messages, online purchase records, and social updates from friends and family.
Travel-themed messages, such as flight confirmations and hotel reservations, are bundled into individual trips, by extracting and analyzing the content of the messages.
A challenge to email marketing
Airlines, hotels, and other travel providers have heavily relied on using their confirmation and other itinerary-related email messages to pull double-duty as marketing tools. Inbox may circumvent those efforts by extracting the information out of the marketing context.
To retain a branding effort, some travel brands have partnered with Google to provide a more seamless integration of their messages with Inbox. In a blog post, Google wrote:
"When you get an email from HotelTonight or Eat24, you can now open your reservations and food orders within their app, directly from Inbox."
This tool competes somewhat the functionality provided by TripIt, the market leader in digital trip-itinerary management.
That said, Inbox is by no means as fully featured as Concur's product.
For instance, the paid version of TripIt Pro sends real-time alerts for delays, cancellations, and gate changes and helps you find alternate flights with open seats and notifies you when your eligible for a flight refund — plus tracks reward-program earnings, among other perks.
No word on if this Trip Bundle functionality -- which is similar to Google Now, the Android intelligent push-messaging service --
For more details, see the official Inbox annoucement from Google.
For the multi-year context, see Tnooz's earlier speculation on Google's intentions to expand into digital trip management.