Google has announced that it will discontinue Google Apps support for old browser versions starting 1 August, 2011.

Google said the change is to focus on the capabilities of modern browsers to deliver features such as desktop notifications and drag-and-drop file uploads.

"For this reason, beginning August 1, 2011, Google Apps will support the current and previous major releases of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari on a rolling basis. Each time a new version is released, we'll begin supporting that version and stop supporting the third-oldest version."

Users of the following browser versions will be affected first:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
• Mozilla Firefox 3.5
• Apple Safari 3

The company said users of the unsupported browsers may encounter issues using certain features in Google Apps, and "eventually these apps may stop working entirely."

Users of the above browser versions can avoid issues by updating to the latest version. Updates are all free.

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Internet Explorer
• Safari

Google said using Gmail offline requires either Firefox 3.6 or Internet Explorer 8. Read more about supported browsers for Google Apps in the Help Center.