A Thunderbird app for iOS is expected to land in alpha by the end of the year

In their latest progress report, the Thunderbird team has revealed their plan of releasing an iOS application later this year to pair with the Thunderbird app for Android. Initial steps have been taken, including basic architectural decisions, with plans to soon publish a barebones repository on GitHub. The team is in the process of hiring a senior software engineer to spearhead the development of the Thunderbird app for iPhone and iPad. The goal is to have alpha code available on TestFlight by the end of the year, although initial functionality will be limited as the app is being built from the ground up.

In parallel, improvements are underway for the Android version of the email client. The team has focused on enhancing the account drawer experience, based by user feedback. An image loader has also been integrated to support forthcoming account pictures. Further updates are expected soon, particularly concerning notifications and error states.