What is new in Google Workspace – [ Last Update January 2025]

On the 15th of January 2025, Google Workspace announced that Google AI will be accessible to all businesses by including it in Workspace Business and Enterprise plans.

From the 29th of January 2025, Gemini will be automatically turned on in your Google Workspace environment (if it wasn’t already). Google Workspace users will be able to:

• Use AI assistance across all of their favourite working tools including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Chat, Vids and more.
• Interact with Gemini Advanced and build Gems, custom AI experts that help complete tasks and workflows based on the user’s inputs.
• Access NotebookLM Plus, an AI research assistant.

As a leading Google Cloud partner, Devoteam works with you to create a custom strategy that fits your needs and goals. This includes:

• Identifying the best ways to use Gemini in your organisation.
• Develop training programs that fit your team’s learning styles.
• Providing ongoing support to ensure a smooth transition and confident users.

Experts in change management will help you communicate Gemini’s benefits, address any concerns, and build a culture where everyone embraces this new technology.

What’s new in Google Workspace – [December 2024]

Google Workspace‘s Q4 2024 updates include new features and improvements across communication, collaboration, admin, and Gemini for Google Workspace. These updates aim to streamline workflows and make things easier for users.

Here are the key updates:

Jump Start Program for Chrome OS

Jump Start, a new program with Google gives you 40 hours of help. The goal? To plan and set up ChromeOS, plus you’ll get 20 support tickets for free. To join, you need to activate 40 licences and haven’t bought a Chrome licence in the last two years.

Communication

• Huddles: Google Chat is calling. It now features instant-on, audio-first meetings called Huddles, powered by Google Meet. This feature lets users quickly start audio meetings directly within Google Chat, eliminating the need to switch between applications. Users can also add videos or share their screens if needed. Huddles is available across all Google SKUs and Google enabled it by default for users with Google Meet turned on.
• Custom Sections in Google Chat: You can now organise your Google Chat conversations into custom sections. This lets you filter group chats and spaces by project, team, or topic, making it easier to find what you need. This feature is available for everyone and Google turned it on by default.
• Reply to messages straight from your Google Chat home screen! You don’t even need to open individual conversations. This means you can answer messages faster and keep track of lots of chats more easily. Even better, it is already active for every SKU.

Collaboration

• New Building Blocks in Google Docs: Google Docs has new building blocks to make work easier! These include task trackers, contact lists, and decision logs. They give you a structured way to manage projects, hiring, and other tasks. Your admin might need to turn on Google Tasks for the task tracker to work.
• Image Creation in Google Docs with Gemini: Google Docs users with access to Gemini can now generate images directly within their documents and cover pages using Gemini’s image generation capabilities. This allows users to create unique visuals tailored to their content without needing external image editing tools. This feature is enabled by default. It is available for all Gemini for Google Workspace licenses.
• Restricted Audience for Google Forms: Within the publish settings in Google Forms, you can now restrict who can respond to the user group or target audience. This can be useful to ensure that only relevant users fill in a form.
• Google Drive Chat App: The Google Drive Chat app allows users to respond to comments and change sharing settings within Chat.
• Referencing Tables in Google Sheets: you can now reference a table’s name in a formula. This means that if someone moves the table, the formula will follow.
• E-signatures in PDFs: You can now add e-signatures to PDFs within Google Drive and send them out for signature.

Admin

• Restrictive Scopes for Third-Party Apps: Admins can now create more restrictive scopes for third-party applications, choosing which service and which scopes an application has access to.
• Vault Takeout and Export for Client-Side Encryption: Vault legal holds, takeout, and data export is now available when using client-side encryption by using a certificate to unencrypt the files.
• Policy Visualisation: A new visual cue will indicate the security limitations on a document in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Videos, and Drive.
• DLP for Gmail: You can now apply Data loss prevention (DLP) rules and labels to Gmail. According to these rules, emails can be restricted, revoked, or prevented from being sent.
• Drive Inventory: It is now possible to export a historical inventory of all drive content and sharing settings to Big Query.

Gemini

• Gemini App on Mobile: The Gemini mobile app is now available for Google Workspace users on both Android and iOS. However, Android for Work profiles are not supported.
• Calendar Integration with Gemini: The Gemini side panel in Gmail now allows users to schedule events in their calendar and view upcoming meetings.
• Gems and Offline Files: You can now use Gemini with uploaded offline files, including text, Word documents, Excel files, and TSVs. Add up to 10 files, each maximum 100 megabytes in size.

What’s new in Google Workspace – [September 2024]

Google Workspace’s Q3 2024 updates signal a clear vision for the future of work: a future where collaboration is seamless, data is readily accessible, and AI empowers employees to achieve more. With a whirlwind of at least 10 new features across communication, collaboration, admin, and Gemini, Google Workspace has rolled out a suite of updates for Q3 2024 that promise to redefine user experience. Here are the key updates you need to know:

Communication

• Custom Recurrences and Guest Invitations for Appointment Scheduling: Users can now set custom recurrences for appointment schedules, such as bi-weekly or monthly meeting slots. You can also invite guests to meetings you schedule using appointment scheduling. This is available for most Google Workspace SKUs.
• Redesigned Meet Interface: Google Meet has a new look! The meeting controls are now at the bottom of the screen. Look out for more changes to the interface coming soon. These updates just change the look of Meet, not how it works.
• Automatic Picture-in-Picture Mode in Meet: The picture-in-picture mode, which shows participants in a separate window when switching tabs, is now automatic. However, it’s not possible to start a screen share while in picture-in-picture mode.
• New Centralised “Threads” Section in Chat: A new “Threads” section in the top right corner of Google Chat displays all followed threaded conversations, including those the user has replied to or wants to keep up with. Previously, only unread threads were visible.

Admin

• Combining Context-Aware Access and DLP: Admins can now combine context-aware access and Data Loss Prevention (DLP). This means they can restrict access to certain files based on your location or the device you’re using, even if you normally have access to the service (like Google Drive).
• Upgraded Labels Feature: Labels now support up to 10 fields of data and a badge list. This means you can use labels in more ways, like for visual representation and metadata.
• AppSheet Admin Console Now Available in AppSheet Core: The AppSheet Admin Console, which provides an overview of users, licensing, and usage within AppSheet, is now available in AppSheet Core. Previously, this was limited to enterprise customers.
• Google Drive Inventory Reporting in BigQuery: You can now export Google Drive inventory data to BigQuery for analysis. This helps admins with governance and compliance, giving them insights into data classification, access, and usage.

Collaboration

• View and Structure Google Forms Data as a Table in Sheets: Google Sheets automatically opens new Google Forms data as a table, bringing format and structure to the data. If you have sheets already connected to a form, you can now convert them into a table format.
• Send Emails about Files to Collaborators Using the Sharing Dialogue: Users can now email collaborators about files they own or edit directly from the sharing dialogue in Workspace apps. The feature allows adding a custom message and selecting recipients based on their permissions.
• Multiple Selections in Dropdown Chips in Google Sheets: Dropdown chips in Google Sheets can now accommodate multiple selections, which is helpful when dealing with multiple project milestones or similar scenarios.

Gemini

• Take Notes for Me in Google Meet: Gemini can now take AI-powered notes during Google Meet calls. A summary of the meeting is added to the calendar invite as a Google Doc. This feature is currently only available in English, but support for other languages is planned.
• Gemini now has Gems: Named ‘Gems’ this tool lets you create specialised experts that you can customise for your goals and tasks. They remember your instructions and can save you time on repetitive tasks. Think of them as your own personal assistants with deep expertise in certain areas. You can’t share Gems with others yet, but it’s something lots of people are asking for!
• Admins access greater visibility: Admins can now see how individual users are using Gemini in the Admin console. This helps identify power users and those who might need more training or support. The reports can be filtered by organisational unit or group and can be exported for further analysis.

What’s new in Google Workspace – [February – June 2024]

Communication is Key

• Find relevant messages faster: Google Chat will now display Avatars next to unread threads in the conversation view. This will help you spot who sent the latest messages in your threads without needing to open them, helping you identify important messages faster.
• Schedule like a pro: Google Calendar now allows for up to 20 co-hosts per appointment, appointment scheduling on secondary calendars, and expanded delegate access. Plus, the new “Check calendars for availability” function can check your availability on multiple calendars from different accounts, helping you find the perfect meeting time.
• Brand your Gmail: Gmail’s layout feature allows you to design custom layouts for all your mails that match your company’s branding with logos, colours, fonts, and more. You can even share your creations with colleagues for a cohesive look.
• Never miss an important link: Google Meet now lets you pin messages in the chat, ensuring everyone sees critical information like shared links.

Enhanced Collaboration

• Search smarter, not harder: Refined search chip functionality in Google Drive lets you filter files across your entire drive with greater precision.
• Share video highlights: Help your colleagues jump straight to the most important part of a video with Google Drive’s new time-stamped video sharing links.
• Organise your feedback: Effortlessly manage and filter comments in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides with the new comment sorting and filtering options.
• Record presentations with ease: The new presenter recording feature in Google Slides lets you seamlessly record yourself delivering your presentation directly within Google slides!
• Put yourself in the picture: Captivate your audience with the Google Slides speaker spotlight feature, allowing you to embed your Google Meet video feed directly into your presentation. This provides a whole host of new creative possibilities for your remote presentations.

Admin Wins

• Space Management Simplified: Admins rejoice! The Space Management Tool boasts a revamped user interface for easier navigation. Plus, you can now add multiple members and groups at once, review detailed space settings, and manage invited members.
• Effortless Email Migration: A brand new feature allows admins to migrate email data between Google Workspace accounts.
• Data Control at Your Fingertips: Admins now have the power to create local data storage exports, specifying the geographic location or locations to store your company’s data. access settings for your organisation’s data. Choose continuous or one-time exports for complete control.
• Granular Audit Access: Expanded delegation options for the Audit and Investigation Tool allow you to restrict access levels to audit data based on the specific application.
• Fine-tuned Group Management: Group admin roles can now be assigned for specific security or non-security groups, providing more granular control over group management.

What’s new in Google Workspace – [Update January 2024]

Watch the full video here.

Google Calendar: Tame the Schedule, Embrace Efficiency:

• A more consistent experience for the guest list in Google Calendar. Google has enhanced the presentation of meeting attendee names in Calendar invites and email updates. Currently, you may observe only email addresses or, in some instances, a combination of email addresses and names within a calendar invite. Moving ahead, you can expect to find an increased inclusion of names in the calendar invite, encompassing individuals within your organisation, as well as guests with whom you have previously interacted
• API access for power users: Unlock automation potential with the Calendar API. Manage out-of-office settings and focus time events with ease, streamlining your workflow and maximising productivity.
• Full-screen focus: Conquer your to-do list and dive into full-screen task lists directly on Calendar, removing distractions and empowering you to tackle your day with full focus. 

Google Meet: Elevate your meeting experience with Google Meet enhancements:

• Uncompromising clarity: Immerse yourself in meetings with stunning Full HD video in group meetings, ensuring every detail, from presentations to whiteboard scribbles, comes through razor-sharp.
• Boost your confidence: Feeling a little self-conscious on camera? Google’s subtle portrait touch-up on mobile devices gently enhances your appearance, putting you at ease and ready to shine.
• Enhanced interactivity: For those who prefer to observe, the improved Google Meet viewer mode now enables smoother interaction and participation, even without being in the spotlight. Empower meeting hosts and co-hosts with the ability to seamlessly elevate a viewer to a meeting contributor during picture-in-picture mode. This feature enhances flexibility, allowing hosts to efficiently adjust participant rights without exiting PiP mode, saving valuable time.
• Developers, listen up: The Google Meet API is now in Developer Preview, opening up a world of possibilities for custom integrations.

Google Chat: Boost your communication efficiency 

• Say goodbye to repetitive tasks: Smart replies automatically suggest concise responses to common messages, saving you time and effort. Need to acknowledge an update or reschedule a meeting? Smart replies have you covered.
• Declutter your workspace: Tame message overload with the space management tool, allowing you to bulk delete unused or outdated Chat spaces in a breeze.
• Find what you need instantly: Experience enhanced communication efficiency with our redesigned navigation panel, seamlessly integrating direct messages and spaces. Introducing shortcuts, a novel framework designed to keep you effortlessly organized with your messages. The “home” feature minimizes friction by providing a centralized hub for catching up on new activities across all conversations. For further streamlining, easily filter for unread messages to tailor your view and prioritize essential communication. 
• Seamless collaboration between Chat and Drive: Take action on Drive requests and comments directly within Chat, eliminating context switching and keeping workflows uninterrupted.

Google Drive: Enhance your workflow and security:

• Future-proofed data management: Stay ahead of evolving privacy regulations with updates to third-party cookie requirements in Drive. Devoteam is here to guide you through these changes and ensure your data remains secure.
• Boost your creativity and organisation: Spice up your presentations with playful GIFs and stickers in Slides. Drive now lets you filter files by people or groups, streamlining collaboration and information discovery.
• Automate and simplify with smart tools: AppSheet smart chips in Docs empower you to automate repetitive tasks and workflows, saving valuable time and effort.
• Navigate with ease: Drive’s refreshed homepage offers a more intuitive and efficient way to find what you need.
• Effortless scanning on the go: The upgraded Google Drive scanner on Android and iOS devices makes capturing documents faster and simpler than ever.
• Sheets fans rejoice: Get ready for the next generation of automated data entry in Sheets, designed to elevate your data analysis and reporting power.

Admin Power-Ups: Strengthen governance and security with enhanced Admin Console tools:

• Gain clarity on access control: Monitor Mode sheds light on how Context-Aware Access policies impact your users, enabling informed decision-making and policy refinement.
• Simplify user management: Streamline user onboarding and information synchronization with seamless External Directory integration.
• Empower iOS device management: User enrollment and Apple Volume Purchase program support simplify iOS device deployment and control.
• Mitigate insider threats: Chronicle’s advanced risk detection capabilities safeguard your organization against internal data breaches and security incidents.
• Comprehensive data archiving: Google Vault now encompasses Google Calendar data, ensuring complete control and preservation of important information.

Gmail: Enhance your communication with an expanded emoji palette: 

Gmail’s refreshed emoji picker offers a wider range of expressive options, allowing you to more accurately capture your tone and intent in email messages. Celebrate achievements with playful confetti, offer reassurance with a virtual hug, or convey a spectrum of emotions beyond traditional text. This expanded functionality empowers you to build deeper connections and create more nuanced communication, even within the written format.

To Summarise: 

The end of 2023 brought significant advancements to Google Workspace. Calendar offers enhanced guest list clarity, API access for automation, and full-screen focus mode. Google Meet shines with Full HD video for groups, subtle portrait touch-up, and improved viewer/contributor interactions. Drive boasts future-proofed data management, playful presentation options, and automated workflows. Admins gain power with Monitor Mode, External Directory integration, and advanced risk detection via Chronicle.

Ready for More? Dive into Beta Programs with Devoteam!

Can’t get enough of cutting-edge features? Devoteam, your go-to Google Workspace partner, is here to guide you through the world of beta programs. 

• Reach out to your devoteam contact or representative to join the beta
• Re-watch the Google Workspace Update webinar here

So, what are you waiting for? Explore these updates, join the beta programs with Devoteam