Microsoft and Google, which are leading the global collaboration and productivity platform SaaS, recently reorganized the platform. Microsoft has upgraded its communication platform Teams and Google has upgraded its business and collaboration platform Google Workspace on a large scale.
Considering that the share of global collaboration and communication SaaS is not small, it is worth paying attention to what part Microsoft and Google focused on in the recent update.
First, let’s take a look at the changes in Google Workspace.
Evolving into an ecosystem
Google unveiled details of the upcoming Google Workspace update through the Cloud Next conference in mid-October.
From my point of view, it is notable that the linkage between Google Workspace and external SaaS applications has been strengthened.
First of all, Google announced APIs for external developers to start Google Meet video conferencing and Google Chat conversations directly from the apps they are creating.
Asana, a task management SaaS, and LumApps, a social intranet service, were first listed on the list using new APIs introduced by Google. From the beginning of 2023, http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs of Asana and LumApps will be able to use Google Meet and Google Chat directly from the app.
Google also announced the Google Meat Add-on SDK (add-on SDK). The Add-on SDK is focused on allowing http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs to collaborate on third-party apps during meetings. Figma, a collaboration-based design software that was recently acquired by Adobe and attracted attention, has been named the first company to utilize Add-on SDK. From the beginning of 2023, Figma design and Figma digital whiteboard services will be available at Google Meet meetings.
Third-party app developers will also be able to integrate themselves with Google Chat using the Google Low-code platform AppSheet. These apps have been available on Google Chat since early 2023.
Google also opens smart chips to allow http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs to integrate data from third-party apps into Google Docs documents. Smart chips can be used to refer to ‘@ someone’ in Google Docs documents or to insert files, meetings, checklists, Google drive files, etc.
Then, it was opened as an external app this time. Many people seem to be interested in how much such an opening strategy can open up new possibilities.
Strengthen AI and personalization capabilities…Attention to Hybrid Work Support
The notable part of the Microsoft Teams update is the Mesh avatars. Mesh avatars is available as a private preview in Microsoft Teams meetings.
Mesh avatars provide http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs with choices and flexibility in how they will look in Teams meetings. By allowing you to use avatars, it relieves the burden of turning on the camera and showing your face.
Microsoft will also introduce Teams Premium, which can only be purchased separately. It is available as a preview from December. Teams Premium is focused on helping teams meet in a more personalized and safe environment.
It also includes meeting guides that allow http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs to choose the right meeting experience and intelligent recaps that provide personalized meeting highlights for http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs to find the most important information in the meeting. Even if you fall into a meeting through intelligent recap, you can catch up with what happened.
Users can also receive automatically generated chapters so that they can easily look at the recorded version of the meeting and understand what was discussed in the meeting. Teams Premium also offers live, real-time translation captions for 40 languages.
Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile offers an enterprise-class mobile phone experience. It was officially released to the public this time.
Teams Phone Mobile enables http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs to use their mobile phones as usual, and organizations to which http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs belong can apply corporate phone functions and policies to http://54.254.57.212/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/twx33i9v6eu-1.jpgs’ mobile devices. Microsoft works with telecommunications companies to provide Team’s Phone mobile functionality.
Zoom, one of the leading communication platform markets along with Microsoft and Google, will also hold a Zoomtopia event in mid-November to announce new features and strategies.
Zoom, famous for its cloud-based video conferencing, is expected to introduce a number of related functions in Zoom Topia as it is recently trying to change its identity as a communication platform company. As reported by foreign media, it is noteworthy whether it will introduce e-mail and calendar functions.
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by Sasquachi
