You have certainly heard of Gmail, or received emails from people whose email address ends in “@gmail.com”. But you may also have heard of “Google Mail” or encountered an email address ending in “@googlemail.com”; are these Google employees’ email service? No (these would have an address ending in “@google.com”). This tutorial explain the difference between Gmail and Google Mail. Although Google only currently offers email accounts ending in “@gmail.com”, it also provides localized versions of the domain (likegmail.co.uk for the United Kindom). It might start offering country-specific email addresses; but, for now, it’s probably just a safety measure to protect its intellectual property and/or prevent spammers from acquiring these domains and using them for phishing and other nefarious purposes!
“Gmail” is the abbreviation of “Google” (the creator of Gmail) and “mail”, another word for email. But Google also offers and advertises a “Google Mail” webmail service. This is the first name that was officially picked for Google’s free webmail service in 2004. As Gmail grew in popularity, users all around the world started signing up.
Google Mail is exactly the same thing as Gmail, and is only used in some countries where Google ended up not being able to use the word “Gmail” because the name already has been used by other companies for a completely different service. Nonetheless, Google had to find an alternate name under which to offer email addresses in those countries. In brief, Google Mail and Gmail are the same thing, and not a hoax or spammers.
Summarize:
Most Gmail users will have an email address ending in “@gmail.com”
Gmail users located in countries where Google has faced legal issues about the Gmailname will have an “@googlemail.com” email address.
Actual Google employees will have an email account ending in “@google.com”
Google Mail vs. Gmail
