Google Workspace Changes

Gemini in Chrome expands availability to more languages and regions, including Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Gemini in Chrome is expanding its availability to users in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and other regions. This AI integration allows business, education, and personal account users to summarize articles, generate content such as emails and images, and engage in two-way voice conversations via Gemini Live directly within the browser on ChromeOS, MacOS, and Windows devices.

Google Chat introduces a 'Discoverable' space setting for controlled membership requests.

Google Chat is adding a 'Discoverable' access option for spaces, providing a middle ground between private (invite-only) and open (anyone can join) settings. Discoverable spaces appear when users browse for spaces within their organization, but conversation history and messages remain private until a space owner or manager approves the user's request to join. This update is designed for groups like employee resource groups or project teams that want to be findable while maintaining a vetting process for membership.

Google Voice introduces Carrier Link to simplify adding phone numbers and calling plans from certified local carriers.

Carrier Link allows Google Workspace customers with SIP Link Standard and Premier subscriptions to easily integrate phone numbers and calling plans from certified local carriers, such as Tata Communications and Telefonica Global Solutions. By leveraging a pre-configured multi-tenant implementation of SIP Link, this feature simplifies the setup of cloud phone systems for small businesses, allowing them to make and receive calls with payment handled by the local carrier and minimal configuration required.

Google Vault now supports retention rules and litigation holds for the Gemini app.

Google Vault now allows administrators to manage data retention and litigation holds for the Gemini app on web and mobile. Admins can create default and custom retention rules for finite or indefinite periods, as well as place litigation holds on specific organizational units or users. These Vault settings take precedence over Admin console and user activity settings, ensuring that data is preserved for regulatory and legal eDiscovery requirements even if users delete their conversations.

Google Meet now supports sending 1080p HD video from ChromeOS meeting room hardware.

Google Meet has extended its 1080p HD video sending capability to meeting room hardware based on ChromeOS. Full HD video is automatically utilized when additional bandwidth is available and necessary, such as when the room is viewed on large screens in Spotlight mode, during 1:1 calls, when a participant pins the room's video, or when the meeting is being recorded. The system continues to automatically adjust video quality based on network constraints to ensure a smooth experience.

Google Drive introduces alignment approvals to allow document sign-offs without resetting the approval flow when edits are made.

Google Drive is introducing alignment approvals, a lightweight mechanism that allows teams to request and record document sign-offs without file changes resetting the approval flow. By unchecking the 'Require all approvers to review the same content' option in the request dialog, collaborators can continue making edits without resetting recorded approver decisions, though individual approvers retain the flexibility to manually reset their status if subsequent edits no longer match their expectations.

Gemini in Google Classroom now allows educators to convert rubric files and images into interactive rubrics.

Educators can now use Gemini in Google Classroom to convert rubric files and images, including .jpeg and .png formats, into structured, interactive rubrics directly within the assignment creation workflow. This automation reduces manual data entry and allows educators to edit the converted rubric before saving, helping maintain consistent grading standards. The feature is available in English for users over 18 and is managed via the Gemini in Classroom setting in the Admin console.

Introducing mutate endpoints (Create, Update, Delete) for DLP rules and detectors in the Workspace Policy API.

Google is introducing mutate endpoints (Create, Update, Delete) to the Workspace Policy API for data loss prevention (DLP) rules and detectors. This update allows super admins to programmatically manage and fully automate the entire lifecycle of their DLP policies, from initial creation to real-time activation and deactivation, complementing the existing read-only capabilities.

New native Apple MDM settings for iOS devices are now generally available in Google Endpoint Management.

Google Endpoint Management has introduced an expanded set of native Apple Mobile Device Management (MDM) settings, providing administrators with more granular control over iOS device configurations and security. These new settings span several categories, including Apps and Services, Safari, Device Features, Backup & iCloud Sync, Authentication, and Data Sharing, enabling organizations to harden the security posture for both corporate-owned and BYOD iOS devices directly from the Google Workspace Admin console.

Gmail threads can now be used as sources in Ask Gemini in Drive.

Ask Gemini in Drive now allows users to add Gmail threads as sources, enabling them to ground responses in a complete view of their business context across emails, files, and folders for more accurate and helpful insights.

Data loss prevention (DLP) policies for Google Calendar are now generally available.

Google Calendar now supports Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, allowing administrators to protect sensitive information shared within event titles, descriptions, and locations. Admins can configure rules to audit, warn, or block the creation and updating of events containing sensitive data, such as credit card or national identification numbers. Users receive immediate feedback via pop-up notifications on the web or automated emails on mobile and API updates when a policy is violated.

New data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities for file attachments and proximity conditions are now generally available.

Google Workspace has introduced new DLP rules that allow administrators to target non-Workspace file attachments based on file names, extensions, and custom MIME types. Additionally, proximity matching is now available, enabling the detection of sensitive information when two predefined data types or strings appear within a specified distance (up to 1,000 characters) of each other. These rules can be applied across Gmail, Drive, and Chat to reduce false positives and better secure proprietary or financial data.

Introducing the ability to loop over a list of items in Workspace Studio flows.

Google Workspace Studio now supports looping over lists of items within flows to increase workflow flexibility. This update introduces a 'Response format' configuration in the 'Ask Gemini' step, allowing users to choose between text or list formats. When a list is selected, a new 'Repeat for each' step can be used to iterate through the items. Additionally, the 'Repeat for each' step can be used to process Google Sheet data row by row to execute substeps, such as drafting individual emails for a list of sales leads.

Organize My Files in Drive is now generally available, using Gemini to suggest file organization.

Google Drive has introduced the general availability of 'Organize My Files in Drive'. This feature leverages Gemini to help users reduce digital clutter by suggesting moves for loose files into existing folders or proposing new folder groupings. Users can review, customize, and batch-approve these recommendations through a dedicated 'Suggest File Moves' interface, which supports interactive adjustments like hovercards and inline renaming.