Google is finally reigning in its communication platforms, as the company announced it would be shutting down Google Hangouts in favor of Chats.
With a storied history of far too many apps, Google appears to be taking the hint and consolidating its communication platform in hopes of driving more usage from everyday users. Competing with the likes of iMessage isn’t easy, but let’s be honest, Google should be better positioned to make users happy with a more comprehensive communication tool.
Now, Google is taking a step in the right direction by knocking off another of its many apps in hopes of making messaging and video calls a bit easier for everyone.
Google Hangouts Is Shutting Down
Announced in a company blog post, Google is officially shutting down the Hangouts platform. Users of the Hangouts app and the Hangout extension on Chrome will be encouraged to switch over to the Chat platform starting today, with Gmail Hangouts users being transitioned over to Chat in July. The final call for Google Hangouts will be in November, but users will be reminded at least once a month to make the switch.
Subsequently, Google is pushing its Chat platform pretty hard in hopes of getting more users to take advantage of the built-in messaging. The company is opting for the business angle, noting the platforms seamless integration with Google Workspace.
“Google Chat offers a modern and integrated experience in Google Workspace. We have big ambitions for the future of Chat, and over the coming months you’ll see even more features.”
As for the types of features you can expect to lure you away from Hangouts, Google stated that the platform will allow users access to “direct calling, in-line threading in Spaces, and the ability to share and view multiple images.”
Is Google Good for Business?
With further consolidation of its communication platforms, Google is becoming better and better for businesses trying to stay in touch with their employees. Considering the substantial shift towards remote work, having tools like Google Workspace to facilitate a more communicative business can do wonders for your team’s morale and productivity.
So, is Google good for business? The Google Workspace platform is a decidedly robust and impressive option that can really make working on your team easy. Moreover, we’ve done the research on the best web conferencing platforms and found that Google Meet is one of the top choices, no matter how big your business is.
It’s obviously not the only option out there. Zoom and Microsoft Teams both offer comparable options, with lots of features and functionality for remote times. Still, if you Gmail is your go-to email provider and Google Calendar is your favorite scheduling tool, it’s safe to say that Google Meet and the overall Google Workspace platform might fit like a glove.
