Google Workspace Update: June 2024

Google Workspace Update Summary - June 2024

The summary of essential information about new features and improvements for Google Workspace customers in June 2024

Meet

⭐ Updated design for meeting controls in Google Meet

Google Meet is enhancing its in-call experience with the Material 3 Design System. The first update focuses on the lower bar of in-call controls, introducing refreshed colors and dynamic shapes to indicate when you're muted or when controls are active. This is solely a design update with no changes to functionality. Read more.

Availability:  Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google accounts 

⭐ Google Meet now supports high definition video for meeting recording and devices

Google Meet now supports Full HD (1080p) video for recorded meetings, enhancing the viewing quality of both speaker and presented content. Additionally, 1080p video resolution is available on all computers with compatible cameras, though it must be enabled via the settings menu. This higher resolution is only sent when recording is enabled or when a 1080p user is pinned on a large enough screen, and it will adjust based on bandwidth availability. Read more.

Availability:  

• Full HD video for meeting recordings:
  • Available for Google Workspace:
  • Business Standard and Plus
  • Enterprise Essentials and Essentials Plus
  • Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
  • Education Plus and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade
    
    
• Sending Full HD video on computers with 1080p cameras:
  • Available for Google Workspace
  • Business Standard and Plus
  • Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
  • Education Plus and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade
  • Enterprise Essentials and Essentials Plus
  • Google One subscribers with 2TB or more storage space

⭐ Google Meet now supports high definition video for meeting recording and devices

Google Meet now allows presenters to scroll and zoom in or out on their content directly within the platform, eliminating the need to switch tabs. This feature is available to all Google Workspace customers. Read more.

Availability:  Available to all Google Workspace customers.

Chat

⭐ Request to join spaces in Google Chat

Google Chat is introducing a feature that allows users to request to join a private space via a link, making it easier to share information, build communities, and foster discussion across organizations. Previously, only space members could invite or add new members. Read more.

Availability:  Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual Subscribers

Drive

⭐ Stay on top of shared Drive files with automatic digest emails

Google Drive is introducing a new feature that sends an email digest to help you track your shared files. If you haven't been active on Drive for 7 days and have multiple unviewed shared files, you'll receive a reminder email summarizing those files. This is useful for busy periods or after time off. The email will include details about the unviewed files and a link to view more activity on the Drive Activity page. Read more.

Availability:  Available to all Google Workspace customers. 

Slides

⭐ Switch between edit, view and comment mode in Google Slides 

Google Slides is adding new modes to make it easier to switch between different tasks. You can now switch to view mode to hide comments and prevent accidental edits. In commenting mode, all editing options are hidden, but you can still read and add comments. Read more.

Availability:  Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

Sheets

⭐ Stay up to date on important changes in your Google Sheets

Google Sheets is introducing conditional notifications to improve visibility and team communication. You can create rules that trigger email notifications when specific changes, like column value or cell range updates, occur. The emails will detail the changes and who made them. You can also set up notifications for others by inputting their email addresses during setup. Read more.

Availability:  Available for Google Workspace: Business Standard, Plus, Enterprise Starter, Standard, Plus, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials 

Editors

⭐ Gemini in the side panel of Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and Google Drive is rolling out now

Google Sheets is introducing conditional notifications to improve visibility and team communication. You can create rules that trigger email notifications when specific changes, like column value or cell range updates, occur. The emails will detail the changes and who made them. You can also set up notifications for others by inputting their email addresses during setup. Read more.

Availability:  Available for Google Workspace customers with: Gemini Business and Enterprise add-on, Gemini Education and Education Premium add-on, Google One AI Premium

Gmail

⭐ Gemini in the side panel of Gmail is rolling out now

Gemini is now available in the Gmail side panel on the web. Using Google's advanced models, including Gemini 1.5 Pro, you can:

• Summarize email threads
• Suggest responses to emails
• Get help drafting emails
• Ask questions and find specific information from your emails or Google Drive files

Gemini provides proactive prompts and allows you to ask freeform questions to quickly find information, helping you respond without leaving Gmail. Read more.

Availability:  Available for Google Workspace: Business Standard, Plus, Enterprise Starter, Standard, Plus, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials

Source: https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com