If you've been holding off on upgrading to a paid Google Workspace plan then your in luck as Google has announced that Workspace is now available to all users.
Beginning today, anyone with a Google account will now have access to the full Google Workspace experience including Gmail, Chat, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Meet and more as the search giant is bringing 'Google Workspace to Everyone' according to a new blog post.
Google has also announced a number of new innovations that will make it easier for workers to navigate a hybrid working world including the evolution of Rooms in Google Chat to Spaces, a new individual subscription for Google Workspace, new enhancements that make it easier to collaborate in Google Meet and new security and privacy capabilities across Google Workspace.
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VP and GM of Google Workspace Javier Soltero provided further insight on how these new features will make it easier for users of the company's products to collaborate in their everyday lives, saying:
“Collaboration doesn’t stop at the workplace - our products have been optimized for broad participation, sharing and helpfulness since the beginning. Our focus is on delivering consumers, workers, teachers and students alike an equitable approach to collaboration, while still providing flexibility that allows these different subsets of users to take their own approach to communication and collaboration.”
Google Workspace for everyone
Unlike Microsoft 365 which requires a subscription, Google Workspace is now available to anyone with a Google account which means that friends, family or groups of any kind can stay connected, work together and share helpful information from a single place.
While Google's online collaboration software is now available to more users, you can also expand its features by signing up for a Workspace Individual plan. This new subscription offering provides premium capabilities such as smart booking services, professional video meetings and personalized email marketing though the company plans to expand it further going forward.
Google is also making video calls more interactive in Google Meet by adding a Companion Mode to its video conferencing software. With Companion Mode, every meeting participant can access interactive features and controls like polls, in-meeting chat, hand raising ,Q&A , live captions and more. For instance, colleagues in the same room can enable Companion Mode on their personal devices to give them their own video tile in Meet.
If you thought the change from G Suite to Google Workspace was a big deal, the company's latest announcement is even bigger as it will ensure that even more people are using its tools and services to communicate as well as collaborate online.
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