Skip to main content

What are we changing?

In 2020, we launched Google Workspace as an integrated solution that provides everything you need to get things done in one place. Earlier this year, We’re introducing a number of innovations, including the smart canvas, to help you better manage your time and build deeper connections with others as the future of work continues to evolve. Today, we’re introducing upcoming innovations in Google Chat, that will help teams perform at their best in the world of hybrid work as many people begin to return to the office. We’re also introducing a more streamlined and flexible user interface that helps people and groups stay organized more easily and strike a balance between focus and multitasking. Later this year, we’re improving the experience of Google Chat Rooms and transitioning them to Spaces, a dedicated place to organize people, topics, and projects in Google Workspace. Spaces will include new features like:

  • Online conversations about a topic.
  • Presence indicators.
  • Assigned tasks.
  • Expressive reactions, custom statuses with emojis and GIFs.
  • Improved content search in Spaces.
  • Message pinning.
  • User roles and moderation tools.
  • Discoverable Spaces.

Spaces will also be seamlessly integrated with Calendar, Drive, and Tasks, and all Workspace products, making them the place to get more done and work together. In Spaces, you can:

  • Create and share documents.
  • Analyze and edit documents side-by-side.
  • Check statuses from your calendar.
  • Conduct interactive polls.
  • Integrate workflows directly with bots.

If you ever need to collaborate more closely with others, you can easily turn group conversations into Rooms. Later, when it’s available, you’ll be able to turn group conversations into Spaces.

The new experience will begin rolling out in the coming months to all Chat in Gmail users in organizations that have Chat enabled. Additionally, new features will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. We’ll continue to provide updates on the Workspace Updates blog as features become available.

Who is affected by this change?

Admins and end users.

Why is this important?

Google Chat has been an essential part of work over the past year, serving as a bridge between colleagues who were separated to collaborate in real time. We hope these innovations will give distributed teams more shared spaces to facilitate collaboration.

Additional details

In the coming months, we’ll be introducing a new, streamlined and flexible user interface that helps people and groups stay organized more easily and strike a balance between focus and multitasking. The new experience will include a new navigation menu on the left side, displaying essential apps like Gmail, Chat, and Meet in one place. This will make it easier to track and find important conversations and notifications, and eliminate the need to switch between apps multiple times.

Google Workspace customers who want early access to these features should apply here. If your application to join the program is accepted, we will reach out to you in the coming weeks to confirm and share next steps.

Getting started

Rollout cadence

Conversión de estados personalizados y chat en grupo a Salas.

We will provide an update on the Workspace Updates blog as additional features become available.

Availability

  • It is available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers.

Resources

This original article was published.
published on June 14.