What you need to know
- Google's Workspace suite of apps and services are now available to all users.
- The search giant has also announced that it is rebranding Rooms to Spaces.
- Google workspace launched in October last year
Nearly a year after its debut, Google Workspace is now finally available to everyone — including users with a free Google account. Google rebranded its G Suite service to Google Workspace in October last year, with an aim to provide a fully integrated user experience to help people succeed in the new work-from-home reality.
Thanks to Google Chat integration in Gmail, you can now easily share ideas or keep track of all your important info in one place. Smart suggestions can help you include the right people with @-mentions, whenever you're drafting a message in Gmail to a group or scheduling a Google Meet invite in a shared calendar. In case you're working on a project that requires spontaneous conversation, you'll be able to present Docs, Sheets, or Slides into a Google Meet call with just a single tap on the best Android phones.
Announcing the new Workspace updates, Google said:
By bringing Google Workspace to everyone, we're making it easy for people to stay connected, get organized and achieve more together, whether it's advancing a cause, planning your family reunion, assigning next steps for the PTA or discussing this month's book club pick.
To add Google Chat to your Gmail inbox, open Gmail on your PC and click on Settings > View all settings. Now click Chat and Meet at the top and select Google Chat next to "Chat." Once you click on "Save Changes," you will be able to use Rooms in Google Chat to connect, create, and collaborate with others from a single place.
Google says it will "evolve Rooms to become Spaces" over the summer and introduce a more streamlined user interface to help people "stay on top of everything that's important." Spaces will bring a ton of new features, including in-line topic threading, presence indicators, custom statuses, a collapsible view, and expressive reactions.
Google Workspace is also launching a new paid tier for individuals, priced at $9.99 per month. While the search giant hasn't revealed any details about the new tier, you can sign up to receive updates here. It will soon be available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Japan.
