Google announced that it added more Workspace features. It is a part of the company's increased lineup of changes to its office and communications software suite.
Google Adds Ring Feature
On Sept. 7, Google stated that it has plans of adding other features in the future, and some of them are included in the upcoming updates.
The most significant change is that Gmail is getting a redesign that will make it the central hub for every Google communication app, according to Engadget.
To start, Google added the ring feature inside the Gmail mobile app. This feature will let you ring another Google user with Google Meet, but not inside the Meet app. Instead, it is inside the Gmail app.
When the feature rolls out, you can turn it on via your Gmail app so you can call other users in a way that you do with any other VOIP app, according to SlashGear.
The tech giant said that the standalone Meet app would let the users place actual calls and not just create group meetings.
Gmail was the first place that the company thought to add its ring feature because it knows how important the app has become to the larger changes within the Google Workplace.
The company has been using the email app's popularity to drive its other services' adoption.
In 2019, Google stated that Gmail planned to get an AI tool capable of automatically correcting an email's grammar and typos. However, no launch date was set yet.
In 2020, Google launched a feature on Gmail that lets users schedule meetings.
Updates on Other Services
Now, Gmail is basically Google's equivalent to Microsoft's Outlook. It is now the central hub for multiple Microsoft services.
Outlook is Microsoft's hub for the calendar, contacts, and email, while Gmail is Google's hub for group chats, email, one-on-one chats, videoconferencing, and now calls.
Google has also created Spaces, a feature that offers group chats. Spaces have threads that will appear in an extra column for easier access, according to TechCrunch.
The tech giant stated that in Spaces, the user would be able to hide tabs that are not in use and roll out a redesign to enterprise users. After that, it will show up in Gmail too.
As for the minor updates, Google Calendar will now allow you to RSVP to a meeting. The company will also launch the Companion mode feature in November.
The Companion mode will let you log into a meeting on your device together with the AV system. It will be muted by default, so there won't be an audio feedback loop.
Also, Google is expanding the Series One line of its hardware that is compatible with Google Meet.
Unlike other Google hardware like Pixel, the Series One devices are made by other tech companies, but it is made to fit in with Google's aesthetic and software.
In the past year, Google has been putting in more work to improve its Workspace, with the most updated features focused on communication.
The new features are very beneficial for both companies and consumers who use all of Workspace's apps.
For those who use Gmail, you will see more changes in the near future that will tie it up with the other Google services.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Sophie Webster
