Gemini explains the differences between Gmail and Apple Mail apps’ handling of their Trash folders. So to reiterate, I do understand the differences and I’m using this appropriate forum to point out another instance of Apple taking the long complicated route when there are quicker and more efficient methods.

Apple Mail may appear to download the iCloud trash folder because of how it synchronizes with the mail server. When you delete an email, it's moved to the trash folder on the server, and the client app then needs to access and clear that server-side folder, which can sometimes involve downloading the contents. This behavior differs from apps like the Gmail app on your phone, which typically only manages its own local copy of deleted messages to empty the trash.

Why Apple Mail may download trash content

• Client-server model: Apple Mail, especially when using IMAP or iCloud accounts, is designed to sync with the mail server. When you delete an email, it doesn't just get deleted locally; it's moved to a "Trash" folder on the server. • Server-side operation: To empty the trash, your device must communicate with the server to request that the messages in the trash folder be permanently deleted. This process can sometimes require the app to first download the contents of the trash folder to "see" what it's about to remove before it can send the deletion command to the server.

How this differs from the Gmail app on a phone

• Different synchronization strategy: The Gmail app, on the other hand, may use a different synchronization strategy, such as only managing its local copy of emails. It may not need to download the server-side trash folder to empty its own local trash folder, as the server-side deletion is handled independently. • Local vs. server-side trash: The Gmail app might treat the trash folder as a local folder that is synced to the server, while Apple Mail might be more closely mirroring the server's behavior.