Google Meet users on Android will be able to play a variety of games with other people as the company reveals a host of new updates.
In an Android blog post, the company announced it has made tweaks to Meet, file sharing, Gboard, and more.
The new features have been designed to keep users connected with each other as well as improve workflows and user experiences.
“We recently introduced a new look and updated Google Workspace apps for bigger screens.
“We’re continuing to optimize your favourite Google apps on tablets to make multi-tasking a breeze.”
Shared Experiences in Google Meet
Google has made it easier to bring Google Meet users closer together as it adds new shared experiences to the platform.
An update to the Android app means that users can co-watch YouTube videos and play games such as UNO! Mobile, Kahoot! or Heads Up! with up to 100 other people at one time.
The company says the aim is to keep people connected regardless of distance with the feature set to roll out to Android phones and tablets.
Google has also made it easier to keep your attention on certain people during a large group call on the Android app.
Users can now use multi-pinning to adjust their screens and stay focused on the users they choose, such as their boos or a sign language interpreter.
In July, Google announced that Meet users could live stream their meetings straight to YouTube, with the feature available to Google Workspace Individual users, Google One Premium plan members in selected regions, Google Workspace Enterprise Starter, Standard and Plus packages, and Education Plus, Teaching and Learning Upgrade customers.
Nearby Share
Google has added the Nearby Share feature to allow Workspace users to securely share files between nearly Android phones, tablets, and Chromebooks with ease.
Users will be able to share photos, videos, files or entire folders with the company stating that the feature will be available within “the next few weeks”.
The devices must be logged into your Google account from the sharing menu to enable files to be quickly transferred and once a user has opted into the settings, transfers between their devices will be automatically accepted.
The widget for Google Drive has been updated to allow the three home screen buttons to now offer one-touch access to a user’s Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets.
The company has also made changes to Google Keep, with a bigger widget and font size to make note-taking, to-do lists, and reminders easier to access.
Gboard Emojis
Google has added the ability for users to send emojis even easier when using the Gboard app on Android devices.
The platform now allows users to “emojify” their messages by pressing the “Emojify” button to select their preferred layout and then press send to add the emojis to the message.
The feature is currently only available in the Gboard Beta app in English and according to Google, is coming to all Gboard English users in the coming weeks.
Last month, Google announced that Workspace Individual is now available to users in Europe.
The company launched the platform over a year ago to help solo business owners reach new customers and bring their ideas to life.
Google Workspace Individual includes all the features of the Workspace platform, such as Gmail, Meet, Calendar, Slide, and more.
