Workspace: Google’s New Integrated Productivity Solution

With another shot at challenging MS Office, earlier today Google rebranded it’s G Suite as “Google Workspace”. The productivity solution has been redesigned and promises more integrated work experience than Google offered before in order to allow better collaboration between teammates. The new product includes Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Chat, Meet, Calendar and other services and features. Google also rolled out a business plus subscription plan along with the newly redesigned platform, in order to allow management of more devices for SMBs that require “advanced capabilities but not entire enterprise-level offerings”.

Google has tried to allow user to do as much as possible in a single window. Gmail, for example, will now allow chat and video calling using Meet from the mail page without opening another application or service. Users can also start a video chat while editing a document with all those currently editing the file. Chat rooms will also allow teams to work with Guests without creating a new “team” for the same. Files linked in Docs, Sheets and Slides can now be opened in preview rather than opening a new tab for the same. Google will also allow the users to mention other teammates in documents using the “@” feature like Gmail already does.

Google seemed pretty firm about their new challenge to the market leading Microsoft Office with VP Javier Soltero saying “This is the end of the ‘office’ as we know it.” Microsoft however, will not see this as much of a threat considering the dominance they have in the industry. The new “office” module will roll out later for the non-business customers. Small business customers can now avail the different available pricing options presented as Business Starter ($6/user), Business Standard ($12/user), and Business Plus ($18/user). The first two are the unchanged G Suite pricing plans while the third one is the new option offering more. Currently, Workspace will focus only on the enterprise customers and the availability of full or partial services for non-business customers will be revealed later.