Google Workspace Features Update: Jul 2021

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite)

Features Update Summary - July 2021

The summary of essential information about new features and improvements for Google Workspace customers in July 2021.

Product: Admin

Easily navigate through the Admin console using the updated left-hand navigation bar

You can easily collapse the navigation bar by selecting the menu icon at the top left when you need more space on the page to complete tasks.

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins only

We’re introducing a streamlined, persistent navigation experience in the Admin console. The new left-hand navigation column allows you to quickly browse through and navigate to key pages without losing context or your place in the Admin console. You’ll also notice updated icons for each category, bringing the Admin console design in line with other Google products. Read more.

Product: Admin

Enhanced desktop security for Windows is now available for Google Workspace Business Plus customers

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins only

Google Workspace Business Plus customers can now manage and secure Windows devices through the Admin console, just as you do for Android, iOS, Chrome, and Jamboard devices. Read more.

Product: Admin

Updates to Google Workspace Public Status Dashboard and service status alerts

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins only

We're introducing a new Public Status Dashboard experience for Google Workspace. As part of this update, we’re enhancing the functionality of the existing Apps outage alert system-defined rule, which provides email notifications regarding service disruptions or outages via the Public Status Dashboard. Specifically, you can now configure the rule to also deliver Apps outage alerts to the Alert Center, and you can retrieve the alerts using the Alert Center API. Read more.

Product: Calendar

Indicate whether you’ll join a meeting virtually or in-person on Google Calendar

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: All end-users

To make Google Calendar more flexible in the hybrid workplace, we're introducing new RSVP options for Calendar invitations. With this update, you can indicate how you plan to join a meeting - in the meeting room, or virtually. Read more.

Product: Chat

Google Chat will automatically suggest group chats based on your Google Calendar

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: All end-users

We previously announced that Google Chat will automatically suggest 1:1 chats based on your meetings in Google Calendar. Now, you’ll also get suggestions for group chats for group or team meetings. We hope that expanding this feature will further enable you to share information and files, and facilitate communication across Calendar meetings and in Chat. Read more.

Product: Chat

Slash commands and dialogs are now available for Google Chatbots

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins, end-users, and developers

Google Chatbots can be a great way to help users streamline workflows, accomplish tasks, and get information and notifications in real-time, without switching contexts away from Chat. We’re adding two new Chatbot features which will make it easier to find and use Chatbots:

• Slash Commands for Google Chatbots
• Dialogs for Google Chatbots
• Read more.

Product: Chat

Hangouts to Google Chat upgrade beginning August 16th, with the option to opt-out

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: All end-users

Beginning August 16, 2021, we will start upgrading users who have the “Chat and classic Hangouts” setting selected to “Chat preferred,” unless you are explicitly opt-out. Users who already have “Chat only”, “Chat preferred”, or “Classic Only” selected, or users with both services turned off will not be affected. Read more.

Product: Drive

Backup and Sync users should begin transitioning to Drive for desktop

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins and end-users

Earlier this year, we announced that we were working towards unifying our two existing Google Drive sync clients – Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream – into a single sync client called Drive for desktop. By doing this, we’re creating a powerful and unified sync client with the best and most used features from both Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream. Read more.

Product: Drive

Update to some Google Drive file links, admin decision recommended before July 23, 2021

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins and end-users

We’re releasing a security update that will apply to some Drive files. This will make Google Drive files more secure by updating their links and may lead to some new file access requests. While we recommend that you apply the update, Google Workspace admins can choose how this update is applied in your organization. Read more.

Product: Editors

Scheduled refresh improvements for Connected Sheets are now generally available

Edition: Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, and Education Plus customers

Who’s impacted: All end-users

Today, several improvements for scheduled refresh are now available:

• Hourly refreshes
• Specific start dates
• Frequency options such as every five days, every two months, etc. 
• Read more.

Product: Editors

Google Workspace Business Starter and Frontline customers can now collaborate with people who are not using a Google account in Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Sites

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins and end-users

We’re making visitor sharing available to Google Workspace Business Starter and Frontline customers, with a limit of five visitor shares per month, per user. With visitor sharing, you can share items with non-Google accounts, enabling them to view, comment on, or edit content in Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Sites using a secure pin code. Read more.

Product: Google Assistant

Use Google Assistant on more devices

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: All end-users

You can now use Google Assistant with smart displays and speakers, such as the Nest Hub Max. We previously announced that access to Google Workspace services from Google Assistant is generally available on users’ personal devices. Read more.

Product: Gmail

Improving email security with BIMI

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins only

Gmail announces general availability of BIMI support across Gmail. BIMI aims to increase the adoption of strong authentication in the email ecosystem for those who have implemented Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC). For senders that have adopted DMARC and have validated their imagery, Gmail will display the validated logos in the avatar slots, increasing confidence in the source of emails for recipients. Read more.

Product: Meet

Enhancing live streams in Google Meet with captions and cross-domain live streams

Edition: Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Teaching, and Learning Upgrade, and Education Plus customers

Who’s impacted: Admins and end-users

We’re improving live streams for Google Meet with two new features:

• Cross-domain live streams
• Captions in live streams
• Read more.

Product: Meet

Expanding Google Meet visual refresh to Meet hardware portfolio

Edition: Available to all Google Workspace customers using Meet hardware devices

Who’s impacted: All end-users

We’re expanding the rollout of the refreshed Google Meet web experience to Meet hardware devices. Users joining Meet calls with a Chromebase for meetings all-in-one touchscreen device will notice improvements for video feeds, the viewing and presenting experience, and the bottom bar. Read more.

Product: Meet

Replace your background in Google Meet, now on iOS

Edition: All

Who’s impacted: Admins and end-users

You can now use Google Assistant with smart displays and speakers, such as the Nest Hub Max. We previously announced that access to Google Workspace services from Google Assistant generally available on users’ personal devices. Admins will need to enable Search and Assistant for these devices in order to ensure users can access Google Workspace data through Assistant. Read more.

Product: Task

Google Tasks now available in Google Workspace Essentials and Enterprise Essentials

Edition: Newly available to Google Workspace Essentials and Enterprise Essentials customers

Who’s impacted: All end-users

We’re making Google Tasks available to Google Workspace Essentials and Enterprise Essentials customers, included at no additional cost. By adding Tasks to Essentials, we hope more users can quickly manage their tasks, wherever they’re working. Read more.

Source: https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com