(Image Source: geek.com)

BY EVAN THOMAS

ANCHOR LAUREN GORES

You're watching multisource video news analysis from Newsy.

Google released its Gmail app for iPhone and iPad Wednesday-- then pulled it from Apple’s app store just hours later.

According to Google, notifications don’t work, and the app spits up error messages when it’s launched. The app still functions, and those who have downloaded it can keep using it, but Google has taken the app down until the problems are fixed.

Engadget gave the apps a quick shakedown and came away... encouraged.

“At this point it’s very limited. We have found there are some bugs, as well. We had some issues signing into the iPad version-- we actually had to restart our iPad before it would let us sign in. And we’re also getting an error message whenever we launch the app for the first time. So there’s some work to be done here, Google, but ultimately this is finally the dedicated version of a Gmail app for iOS we’ve been waiting for for quite some time. We’re glad it’s here.”

CNET is calling this a rare misstep for both Google and Apple.

“An error of this magnitude is unusual for iOS apps, since Apple is renowned for its iron grip over the quality of products released to its App Store. The flub is also surprising because Google has plenty of experience launching successful iPhone apps...”

GigaOm says-- by all means, fix the glitch. But maybe Google is better off not making the iOS experience too perfect.

“Of course, if Google provides too good of a Gmail experience on iOS devices, it actually loses a key advantage … maybe Google should leave well enough alone before Android users start switching to iOS once they have a solid Gmail client.”

Techcrunch agrees the app needs fixing. But Google can-- and should-- take its time.

“I’m sure this must sound a bit petty, but people have seriously been waiting years for a native Gmail app, and they must have been awfully disappointed today. Even if we set the broken push notifications aside for a moment, the app itself was still… shall we say, lackluster?”

Google says a fixed app is coming, and will be available for download “soon.”