You can still use mail providers other than gmail (which actually provide true anonymity as a service), and you can also buy a SIM card and phone with cash.
I fail to see how this "kills email anonymity" You can get a phone for $10 at any Walmart / Target / Bestbuy activate it anonymously with a number in any area code you want w/o providing any personal information what so ever.
I've actually been toying with doing this rather then email verification and a captcha for a social site. Would you find this more or less annoying then an email loop and a captcha?
It's been this way for years for most other countries. But the invite method does work and I got my first gmail address via that. However for my other gmail address, I just gave them my mobile number and typed in the verification code I received via sms.
> Also, if you know someone who already has a Gmail address, you can ask them to email an invitation to you.<p>I'm taking it at face value as anti-spam.