As we approach the end of an era for Currents, Google Workspace is gearing up to introduce exciting updates to Google Chat. Starting July 5, 2023, Currents will no longer be available, and Workspace administrators can export data using Takeout before August 8, 2023. But don't worry, this transition marks the beginning of a new era for swift app development in Google Chat.

What's Changing

Google Workspace is committed to providing its customers with innovative features that support community engagement at scale. In the last year, we've delivered features designed to enhance collaboration and connection among teams, and we're not slowing down. This month, we're introducing announcements in Google Chat, allowing organizations to share information across the enterprise while giving admin controls to limit permissions for posting.

Announcements in Google Chat

These new features will enable all members to read and react to updates, ensuring important messages stay visible and relevant. Later this year, we plan to simplify membership management by integrating Google Groups with spaces in Chat, provide post-level metrics for announcements, and offer tools for Workspace administrators to manage spaces across their domain.

Enhancing Conversations

We've already rolled out new ways to make conversations more expressive and engaging, such as in-line threading to enable rich exploration of a specific topic without overtaking the main conversation. Additionally, custom emojis allow users to add fun, personal touches to their messages.

Discovering Communities

Google Workspace is making it easier for individuals to discover and join communities of shared interest. By searching in Gmail, users can explore a directory of available spaces covering topics such as gardening, pets, career development, fitness, cultural identity, and more. The ability to invite others to join via link makes connecting with like-minded individuals seamless.

Scaling Communities

Last year, we increased the size of communities supported by spaces in Chat to 8,000 members, and we're working to scale this in a meaningful way later this year. This means that teams can now collaborate and connect on an even larger scale.

Integrating Third-Party Apps

Our partner community is extending the power of Chat through integrations with essential third-party apps such as Jira, GitHub, Asana, PagerDuty, Zendesk, and Salesforce. Many organizations have built custom workflow apps using low-code and no-code tools, and we anticipate that this number will continue to grow with the GA releases of the Chat API and AppSheet's Chat app building capabilities later this year.

Why it Matters

In today's rapidly changing era of hybrid work, building authentic personal connections and a strong sense of belonging is crucial. Google Workspace customers use Google Chat to communicate about projects, share organizational updates, and build community. As we continue to invest in swift app development, Google Chat will remain the best option for Workspace customers seeking to build a community and culture for their teams.

Who's Impacted

Admins and end users

Why it's Important

The transition from Currents to spaces in Google Chat removes a separate, siloed destination and provides organizations with a modern, enterprise-grade experience that reflects how the world is working today. Google Workspace customers use Google Chat to communicate about projects, share organizational updates, and build community.

Recommended Action

Availability:

  • Spaces in Google Chat are available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts.

Resources: