Agree with you in principle, but it looks to me like most of the new 'gmail' features are actually the most successful elements introduced with 'inbox' a couple

Agree with you in principle, but it looks to me like most of the new 'gmail' features are actually the most successful elements introduced with 'inbox' a couple of years back. If this is actually the way that google wants to introduce new features ie. with a thorough, long term, and importantly separate process of testing and vetting. I think that is a pretty good way to go about it.