[eli]

Can you imagine the comment threads if google was secretly sharing inbox engagement data with marketers?

Anyway, it's been like this for years and the overwhelming majority of email clients load images by default so everyone mostly works around it. I don't think it's changing any time soon.

[cwhiz]

All it would take is a single default configuration change by Apple, Microsoft, or Google. It is not crazy at all to think that Apple would change the default setting to block loading remote content.

[eli]

Most people want images in their email to work

[cwhiz]

It's as easy as doing it the exact same way Hey does. "We blocked external trackers in this email, click here to learn more."

[anewone]

I'm curious how they're doing it. Without having used their product, I gather that they're blocking certain known trackers and/or checking for tracking pixels directly. But it's not hard to put a unique tracking link on any arbitrary image which is part of the email's content. The only full defense is turning off all images.

edit: apparently they automatically cache the images on delivery, which should work. This is really a change that needs to come from the mail providers so good on them. As long as they don't try and assume what the user is interested in like Gmail does, they can drop tracking all they want.

[eli]

That is going to lead to it appearing that people have high email engagement which will cause them to be on more mailing lists and at higher frequency than they otherwise would be.

[kijiki]

Inline images. Faster loading, and will still work when I look at the email years later when all the img links have rotted.

[eli]

In a lot of instances you get penalized for large messages. Email marketing is a tough business.