Google Workspace is now free for users with a Google account

Google is making big changes to its online services, including Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite). Workspace is currently free for those with a Google account, meaning you don't need a business profile to use the extra features in Drive, Meet, Docs, Sheets, and more.

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According to a press release, 'now, all of our more than 3 billion personal, business, and educational users have access to all Google Workplace features'.

You'll have to enable Google Chat in Gmail to enable this integrated experience, which really might not seem like a big change since the free accounts already have access to things like Drive and Docs.

However, Workspace offers features like smart suggestions in emails or documents, with typing @ with the username you want to mention into tasks and presenting in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides during a call. Meet.

Besides introducing the free version, Google also introduced the paid version - Workspace Individual. It targets small business owners and offers "premium capabilities, including smart booking services, professional video meetings, personalized email marketing and more".

Google Chat becomes more like Slack with Spaces

Today, Google not only opened Workspace to everyone, but also introduced some new features. The first is Rooms in Chat (formerly known as Hangouts).

"Over the summer, we'll evolve Rooms to become Spaces and launch a streamlined and flexible user interface to help teams and individuals stay on top of everything that matters." This one-page is for presence metrics, custom statuses, 'expression' and provides collapsible views and notification pinning capabilities.

Basically, it looks like Google Chat is getting powerful and pretty much like Slack. Although it offers more collaboration tools than a messaging app. Google also said, "Spaces will integrate seamlessly with files and tasks", allowing "all relevant information, conversations and files for a project to be organized". Document aggregation for topics can also be moderated at an organization-wide level.

In some images provided by Google, it seems that Spaces allows you to have a column on the left to chat with colleagues, while the other two-thirds of the screen shows the Google Docs you are editing together. . At the top of the chat column, you can choose to view the conversation or switch to Files or Tasks.

This is quite similar to the Smart Canvas that Google talked about at Google I/O and Microsoft's Fluid Framework.

Google Meet becomes more like Zoom

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Video calling is also getting an upgrade, as Google continues to add more features that other services like Zoom and Teams already offer. Google Meet will get Companion Mode, new moderation permissions, and updated Calendar RSVP options.

Companion mode, which was mentioned at last month's I/O Conference, will allow meeting participants to access features such as polls, in-meeting chat, raise hands, Q&A, and more. no matter what device the user uses. "Companion Mode will be available on the Google Meet web and web apps in September and will be available on mobile soon," according to Google.

Basically, Google is also improving some of the security features in Workspace. It adds client-side encryption, "Trust rules" and new labels to Drive. It will then allow administrators to "classify files and apply controls based on their sensitivity". Finally, Google says it's also beefing up anti-phishing and malware protection in Workspace.

Jessica Tanner

Update 15 June 2021