Major Gmail redesign will bring Chat, Meet, Tasks and Docs into one interface

News
By Sharmishta Sarkar
last updated

Google wants to make Gmail a one-stop-shop for work

Gmail
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Gmail is being given a major overhaul to make your working life a lot easier after the internet giant revealed it is bringing many of its G Suite applications together for quicker and easier access to different tools.

Google is hoping the redesigned Gmail will also become a major collaboration and discussion hub thanks to a new feature called Rooms – topic-specific chat rooms similar to Slack Channels. Rooms will be a space where colleagues can share tasks and calendar invites, while also discussing work in real time. 

Google Meet, the company's dedicated video conferencing platform, was added to Gmail in April this year and will continue to stay where it is, but will make a new picture-in-picture mode available without leaving Gmail.

Introducing a better home for work with Google Workspace - YouTube
Watch On

Gmail multitasking

Google Docs is also being integrated into Rooms, and you'll be able to open a full document in a side-by-side pane next to an ongoing conversation. The feature aims to make real-time editing and collaboration simple, again without leaving Gmail.

You'll also be able to share files and assign tasks right from the email platform, making Gmail a one-stop productivity shop.

The integration isn't just limited to Google's own G Suite applications. Third-party apps like DocuSign, Salesforce and Trello will also be available within the new Gmail.

The company will also be rolling out new security features for Chat and Meet, so users can better control who participates in video calls. Unwanted attendees can be locked out and will then also be prevented from rejoining a call. Google has said that anti-phishing protection will also be rolled out in the coming weeks.

The Gmail redesign is currently being tested by select companies, but will soon be rolled out to all G Suite users. Whether these changes will be available to consumer Gmail users as well is unclear at present, but Google has confirmed that the security updates to Chat and Meet will be implemented for everyone.

Sharmishta Sarkar
Sharmishta Sarkar
Managing Editor (APAC)

Sharmishta is TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor and loves all things photography, something she discovered while chasing monkeys in the wilds of India (she studied to be a primatologist but has since left monkey business behind). While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, she's also an avid reader and has become a passionate proponent of ereaders, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about the convenience of these underrated devices. When she's not testing camera kits or the latest in e-paper tablets, she's discovering the joys and foibles of smart home gizmos. She's also the Australian Managing Editor of Digital Camera World and, if that wasn't enough, she contributes to T3 and Tom's Guide, while also working on two of Future's photography print magazines Down Under.