Update: Google considers Gmail revisions

Google said Tuesday it is "batting about" possible changes to its Gmail web-based email service, which launched last month to a chorus of privacy concerns.

The search engine giant unveiled Gmail in late March to about 1,000 people in what it called a limited test. Nevertheless, it immediately produced an uproar over plans to offer web surfers up to 1GB of storage for free, subsidised by advertising based on keywords scanned from messages and delivered over the service.

Google spokesman David Krane said the company plans to listen closely to the responses of test users and other interested parties during a three- to six-month test period. He said Google may make changes based on the recommendations it receives, but it hasn't yet made any definitive decisions.

Krane said: "We are in the very earliest phases of testing, and we are actively soliciting and analysing feedback from users and third parties, including privacy groups. We're definitely batting about a number of options for changes to the service, but we have not yet made any specific commitments or announcements about changes to come to Gmail."

Evan Hansen writes for News.com