Google Meet, like many other similar platforms, experienced big growth during the pandemic, and Google continues to improve it with more new features
The Covid-19 pandemic brought before everyone's eyes the importance of useful platforms to keep people in touch, whether they're a block or a continent away. In the last year and a half we have learned that with a common internet connection, a smartphone and a service like Google Meet we can put a patch on the restrictions to contain the pandemic.
A few tools within the reach of many that have become crucial, including the various Microsoft Teams, Zoom, FaceTime and all the similar services that paradoxically have to thank the pandemic for the surge had in terms of registered users and traffic generated. It's not surprising then that Google, Microsoft, Apple and other developers have worked hard in the last period to improve their respective platforms in order to have the best offer when the context forces us to return en masse to our screens. Developments continue unabated, with the latest coming from Google who have introduced a number of features on Meet to make it easier for users to control and manage meetings.
What's new in Google Meet
The main new feature introduced by Google Meet is that all users can add up to 25 co-organizers for each meeting, which means that among other things they will be able to limit who can initiate screen sharing or send chat messages, mute all participants with a single click, end the meeting and control who can access it, whereas in the past the assignment of co-organizers was the prerogative of Google Workspace for Education customers.
There are a number of new features for Google Workspace customers, including quick access by default. By disabling quick access instead, the meeting will not start until the organizer joins it. In addition, users can also prevent anonymous people from taking part in meetings by making sure that only those who really have the right to enter and stay in the virtual room participate.
When the new Google Meet features arrive
The distribution of the new features in question for Google Meet should start very soon, precisely from August 16 for those who use the web version of Google Meet from a computer or through an application from Android devices, while the "go" to the new features for those who use a device with iOS will arrive at the end of the month, starting on August 30.
The rollout, Google warns, will be gradual, so it will start at a low pace to verify that no major problems arise and, once this is ascertained, the pace of distribution will then be increased: in all it could take up to two weeks.