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Google has successfully integrated its latest features – Google Chat, Google Meet, and Google Rooms – in the bid to increase communication possibilities for GSuite customers. Earlier last month, Google had announced the integration but has now implemented it in what many experts believe would put competitors Zoom and Slack on edge.
With the integration, Google users would not have to leave Gmail before holding video conferences with friends and business associates since Meet is functional within the Gmail interface. The overall experiment is to provide a all-in-one user experience so that users can do all they want to do without the need to exit Gmail.
To this extent, users using the Web version on their desktop will have their Gmail message interface split into sections where Chat and even Google Doc can be utilized from within the page using options and controls on their sidebar, DroidLife writes. For mobile devices, the bottom of the Gmail app is where Mail, Chat, Rooms, and Meet are arranged so that the user can choose any one to have it open in a fresh interface.
It must however be noted that organizations using GSuite will have to enable the “Chat Preferred” option under Settings before the optional tools integration can be activated. Google disclosed that starting from August 12, users have up to 15 days for the entire features to be usable after enabling the option, and starting from September 1 there will be up to 15 days for full feature visibility for scheduled release domains.
When organizations activate the merger via the Chat preferred option in their settings, it will deactivate the normal Hangouts app from the GSuite account and all workers within the organization will be switched to the dark-themed Google Chat. With this action, Gmail will adopt the new redesign so that the overall theme can be pleasant to the users.
Only users on desktop and Android OS for mobile devices will be able to enjoy the gradual rollout, it is not available yet for those on iOS app.
According to tech analysts, GSuite users may quit paying for Zoom video conferencing and Slack chat communications given the one-stop features obtainable from the newly merged Gmail, Chat, Rooms, and Meet Google enterprise services. An alternative to G suite is Office 365/SharePoint. Know more about Gmail to Exchange Migration and SharePoint Online Tenant to Tenant Migration from Apps4Rent
Source: arstechnica.com
