Google Tasks is a service many Google users may be unfamiliar with. Historically it’s been a somewhat hidden feature of Gmail and Google Calendar, but today alongside a redesign of Gmail, Google is helping Tasks break out and receive slightly better treatment with the launch of a new iPhone app.

I have to say up front: if this app wasn’t a Google property, tied to an existing Google service, it likely wouldn’t merit much attention. Essentially it’s a barebones home for task lists, with a couple small task manager-like functions. Each task you create can include additional details in a note area, be assigned a due date, and can include embedded subtasks. And that’s basically it. You can create multiple lists to store your tasks, but there’s not even a smart list that consolidates all your tasks containing due dates.

Ultimately, this is an extremely lightweight task manager that makes Apple’s Reminders, its closest analog, seem like a heavy duty task powerhouse by comparison. Rita El Khoury of Android Police sums it up well in her take on the Android app:

I struggle to see who Tasks is for with this first version, and hope it’s quickly iterated upon. If you’re deeply invested in the Google ecosystem, and have very minimal task needs, but want something integrated with Google’s other products, I guess Tasks could be for you. But only on the iPhone; there’s no iPad version at this time.

Google Tasks is available as a free download on the App Store.