Gmail app for ios 6

Question

hey there,
i just gave my wife my old iPhone 3gs. as she uses gmail we wanted to instal the app on the fon.
well, it says that it can't instal because it needs a newer version of ios which of course doesn't
run on the 3gs.
so, where can we find the "old" gmail app that is compatible with ios 6.1.6???
thanks a lot for your help!!
Andy

Answer 1

Ummm . . . AmishCake . . . that's not quite the way it works.  This is the way that Apple has chosen to implement and manage their ecosystem.  Before going further, let me state emphatically that I'm both an Apple and a Microsoft fan.  I own and use Windows PCs and Macs and IOS devices daily.  But I wholeheartedly sympathize and empathize with the OP.
Let's take a look at the Microsoft side of operating systems.  Keep in mind the following dates:  XP released Oct 2001; Vista released Jan 2007; Win7 released Oct 2009; Win 8 released Oct 2012.  Now compare these release dates with their end of life End of Support dates.  A very different business approach than Apple.
I just recently wanted to update my macbook pro to Mavericks.  No longer available.  It was pulled from the store the day Yosemite was released.  The only non Yosemite OS still available are physical disks of Snow Leopard and download keys for Mountain Lion which, incidentally, take 1 to 3 business day to receive via email once you buy them online.  Why, isn't it available for immediate download once you've submitted your credit card info?  Who knows?  But it makes for a poor customer experience.
And incidentally, new versions of Windows run quite well on old hardware.  I just recently installed Windows 8 on a Dell Latitude D610 laptop that was purchased in July 2005.  It's perfect for email, light web surfing, and running MS Office 2013 -- yup, Office 2013 runs just fine on a 9 year old Windows laptop.
Another commenter in this thread mentioned that it's up to the App developer what versions they offer.  That's not correct.  In fact, Amazon had an FAQ on their site regarding the availability of the Kindle App for older IOS versions.  The FAQ stated that Apple would not allow them to make it available.  It wasn't until around October 2013 when IOS 7 was released that Apple appeared to be loosening up and the App store for the FIRST TIME EVER, presented users with the option of downloading the last compatible app rather than the most current.  Prior to that, Apple would not allow Apps for older devices in the store.  Lately, since the release of IOS 8, I've noticed that the last compatible app offering is getter scarcer and scarcer.
Another commenter points out that the phone "is just about past its due date if you expect to run current apps and functionality."  True, HOWEVER, the user isn't expecting or trying to run current apps.  He's simply wants to run the apps that can run on that phone.  His gripe is they exist but are no longer being made available.
Another commenter rightly states that:   "had you saved the app to your computer back when the version was compatible with your device, you'd still have the Gmail app."  A valid point.  However, Apple doesn't quite make that clear, and I would argue, gives people a false sense that they can simply download the app again.  I personally learned that lesson the hard way.  Also since you download your app purchase directly onto the phone, it's paradigm shift from the past where you had separate installation file that you could keep it and back it up where ever, however you wanted.  It's not that simple or straightforward in the Apple Ecosystem.  I'm a user of VMware Workstation, for example.  I generally upgrade every 1 to 2 years.  I can still go back, log into my VMware account and download my old versions. That's more of the norm.  Apple certainly has the capability and resources to allow this if they wanted to, they simply don't.
And the OP is spot on with respect to how wasteful we are by adopting, defending, and / or supporting policies and business practices that artificially make devices obsolete with what appears to be a highly effective way to force people to buy new.