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Like many people, I used Thunderbird to manage my email accounts throughout the 2000s and early 2010s. But Mozilla pretty much gave up on the client sometime between 2012 and 2015, forcing me to find something new. Now, as part of the Thunderbird renaissance, Mozilla is Finally bring the email client to Android devices.
Using Thunderbird today is like stepping into a time machine: it’s pretty outdated. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Thunderbird app is incredibly lightweight compared to modern Electron-based email clients. It’s also super customizable, backed by an enthusiastic community, and has a solid 19-year track record when it comes to user privacy.
These features are highly desirable in 2022, which is why Mozilla is finally paying attention to Thunderbird. Recent updates, a new business plan, and a huge influx of cash promise to make Thunderbird’s desktop client respectable again, but for this plan to work, Thunderbird needs to make its mobile debut.
That’s why Mozilla got the rights to K-9 Mail, an open source email client that aligns with Thunderbird’s mission. Instead of creating a Thunderbird app from scratch, Mozilla will transform K-9 Mail into Thunderbird for Android. It will offer most (if not all) of the features you care about, including message filters, automatic account setup, “unmatched customization,” and desktop client sync.
Mozilla will slowly update K-9 Mail with Christian Ketterer (often called cketti), who currently maintains the app. Once you have some essential features like desktop sync, K-9 Mail will become “Thunderbird for Android”. (The rebranding should happen sometime in 2023.)
Updates to the K-9 Mail app can be a bit hit and miss, with major alterations to features and user interface. But if you want to experience its transformation, you can install K-9 Mail on your Android smartphone or tablet today. Mozilla also hopes to bring Thunderbird to iOS, though it’s targeting Android first.
Source: Mozilla
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