Google links social network contacts to Gmail

Google will now suggest Google+ connections as recipients when you are composing a new email

Google has announced a new integration between its social network, Google+, and its email service, Gmail, which will result in some users receiving messages from people with whom they have not shared their email addresses.

The change, which Google announced on Thursday, broadens the list of contacts available to Gmail users to include both the email addresses of their existing contacts, as well as the names of people on the Google+ social network.

The company explained in a blog post that the integration will make it easier for people using Gmail and Google+ to connect with each other over email.

“Have you ever started typing an email to someone only to realise halfway through the draft that you haven’t actually exchanged email addresses?” wrote Google product manager David Nachum.

“As an extension of some earlier improvements that keep Gmail contacts automatically up to date using Google+, Gmail will suggest your Google+ connections as recipients when you are composing a new email.”