I dislike all native mail clients even more than I dislike the iOS gmail app, which is largely a hybrid web app if I'm not mistaken.

I use the iOS gmail app, but what I really want is this:

An app that present emails to me like iOS messages, but with some design changes to fit long content.

This would allow for better context (messages are individualized and chronological) and faster, one touch responding while I'm on the go. Responding to emails on a phone is much slow and significantly more challenging than responding to a text, and I see no reason for that.

I hate to be that guy, but buy an Android. Google is working to expose a lot of ways to reply quickly to texts and email, and I don't think Apple really cares about being ahead of the curve in this area. For example, Jelly Bean adds the ability to open a modal dialog and reply to a text message without switching applications. Presumably, this feature will come to GMail shortly, and if not, someone can use the API to make an email client where it works.

Also, the current Android GMail app sounds more or less like what you're asking for, with the messages neing collapsable.

I think I'll just build what I want myself so I don't have to literally switch hardware and software completely. I prefer the consistency of iOS hardware and the superior 3rd party app quality, and that shows no sign of changing any time soon.

Plus, the iPhone 4 is the best free phone you can get by far.

Have you seen the Nexus 4? I appreciate your liking the iOS design sensibility, but unsubsidized, you can get cutting-edge hardware for less than your 3-generation old phone.

The thing is, who uses mobile GMail? when my wife wants to use my tablet to check her mail.

Which type of tablet? This is solved in Android 4.2 with multiple accounts. You can both use the native client without privacy concerns.

Theoretically. That feature's been announced, not shipped. Don't be so quick to rule out privacy concerns on a feature that no one's used.

This doesn't necessarily need to be a privacy concern so much as a user experience concern. She's his wife, not some random stranger on a bus. There's the user experience of being able to hand your wife your tablet and have her be able to pull up her own Gmail in a native app without a bunch of reconfiguration of settings.

The feature won't be available for phones.

I do, because the Google Apps security policy is way too inhibitive for me to add my work account on my android phone to use the native apps. Essentially, the policy requires me to enter a 6-character password (read: a password, not a PIN) every time I want to unlock my phone. I would much rather not use the native google apps and just access Gmail via my phone's browser, as terrible as the interface may be.

I think the level of the Apps security policy is set by the domain administrator, it can probably be set to allow pins or swipes and your company disallowed it.

I like Mobile Gmail much better than iPhone Mail client.