Yep, it’s just a drag. It’s not our core product value so any effort we put into it is a drag.
Sometimes that's just an opportunity
Technically true, because Google's core product is ads. Also fundamentally wrong, because Gmail serves as a massive source of ad targeting information, in addition to being a high-engagement canvas to display those ads.
Ad display I'll still grant you of course.
It was an unproven long shot when they built it.