Google Chat has launched a huddles feature, which enables coworkers to have impromptu audio calls with one another.
The communication and collaboration service’s latest tool shares the same name as and similar capabilities Slack’s "huddles".
Like Slack, Google’s huddles will automatically launch as audio calls, but users can opt to turn video on at any time.
The option to use video on Slack huddles was added in 2022, along with multi-person screen sharing and drawing, emojis, reactions, stickers, and more.
The news was introduced through a Google Workspace update:
In continuing our effort to make Google Chat your home for team collaboration, we’re excited to introduce a fast and flexible way to connect: huddles."
“Powered by Google Meet, huddles let you start an audio-first meeting, making real-time collaboration easier than ever. Once the huddle has started, you can resize or drag the window, add video, or share your screen for a fuller meeting experience while multitasking in Chat."
“Huddles provide a seamless collaboration experience across Chat and Meet, and can be useful in a variety of scenarios, such as two colleagues syncing quickly to discuss a project they’ve been messaging about in their Chat stream.”
Google Huddles
To begin a huddle from a user’s perspective, click on the Video icon at the top right-hand corner of a chat message and select "Start a huddle".
When you are requested to join a huddle, a chat chip will appear in your message thread stating who is requesting to start a huddle. Simply click "Join" to begin the huddle.
The huddles toggle in the Chat header will also be visible for that conversation.
