Google Workspace Changes

Enhanced logging and display of Chat app usage for Google Workspace admins.

Google Workspace admins can now gain better insights into how Chat apps are utilized within their organization. This is achieved through enhanced Chat event logs, which include Chat app-related events. Admins can use these logs to identify which Chat apps are in use, in what Spaces, which apps have been added or removed, and the most popular Chat apps. This information is accessible via BigQuery log export, the Reports API, and soon, the Security Investigation Tool (SIT).

Users can now send expressive stickers in their Google Chat conversations on the web.

Google Chat on the web now allows users to send expressive stickers in their conversations, offering another way to communicate alongside emojis, GIFs, and other media. This feature is available in both the standalone Google Chat application and within the Chat tab in Gmail. There are no admin controls for this feature, and it is enabled by default for end-users. Users can access stickers via the GIF/Sticker icon in the message field. The feature is available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

Add lists and code blocks to Google Chat app cards.

Developers can now enrich Google Chat app cards with ordered, unordered, and nested lists, as well as code blocks. These features are crucial for displaying structured data, programming examples, and organizing complex details, significantly enhancing the readability and comprehension of information for users.

Google Chat apps now support Markdown for text formatting.

Google Chat apps now offer new Markdown support for text formatting, simplifying the card-building process for developers. This is particularly beneficial for AI agents, as standard outputs from many Large Language Models (LLMs) are in markdown, eliminating the need for manual conversion to HTML.

New carousel widget for more engaging Google Chat apps.

Developers can now create more engaging Google Chat apps using a new carousel widget. This widget enables the display of complex and organized information in a horizontally scrollable and compact format, allowing for product listings, multiple data points, or various options within a single card, thereby enhancing the user experience.

Introduction of 'owner' role in Google Chat spaces, alongside existing manager and member roles, for more flexible permission management.

Google Chat spaces are introducing a new 'owner' role, in addition to the existing managers and members. This change aims to facilitate easier sharing of space management tasks among colleagues. Existing space managers will automatically become owners, retaining full control. A new 'manager' role will have most owner permissions but cannot delete the space or upgrade users to owners. The 'member' role remains unchanged. Both owners and managers will be able to control permissions within space settings, such as who can use '@all', add apps, or manage chat history.

Google Chat apps will now automatically install into future conversations after initial user installation, removing the need for manual re-installation.

Google Chat is introducing a new feature that will automatically add Chat apps to future conversations once they have been installed by a user. Previously, users were required to manually install a Chat app into every space, group chat, and direct message. This update streamlines the process, allowing users to initiate actions with an app, such as creating a poll, and have the app automatically available in subsequent conversations without needing to reinstall it. Admins can still control app installation permissions and can also choose to pre-install apps for their organization.

Google Chat now offers real-time push notifications for reactions on messages to keep users updated.

Google Chat users can now receive real-time push notifications for reactions on their messages. This feature helps users stay informed about engagement with their messages and ensures they don't miss important updates. Reactions, such as emojis like a smiley face or a thumbs up, allow for easier conveyance of information or sentiment, and now message authors will be aware of these reactions without manually checking the conversation.

Developers can now build Google Chat apps using the Workspace add-on framework for building single apps across multiple Workspace applications.

The ability for developers to build Google Chat apps using the Workspace add-on framework is now generally available. This framework allows developers to build and maintain a single application that functions across various Workspace apps, including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Chat. This simplifies development, administration, and end-user experience by enabling features like link previews, task automation, external service notifications, and combining third-party data within Workspace.

Introducing Lucidchart and Lucidspark apps in Google Chat for improved collaboration and document access.

Lucidchart and Lucidspark, third-party add-ons for diagramming and virtual whiteboarding, are now integrated directly into Google Chat. This integration allows users to get immediate previews of Lucidspark and Lucidchart links shared in Chat conversations and use the “/lucidsearch” command to find and share Lucid documents instantly, enhancing team alignment by bringing visual context into conversations.

Introducing the Comeen Workplace AI Agent for the Comeen Google Chat app.

The Comeen Workplace AI Agent, a third-party app for Google Chat, uses generative AI to help users manage workplace resources like booking meeting rooms and desks, and answer workplace-related questions. Users can book spaces, and ask questions about their workspace. Admins need to allowlist the Comeen for Google Chat app, and end users will need a Comeen license.

Users can now mark threads as unread in spaces in Google Chat.

Users currently have the ability to mark messages as unread in the main conversation stream of Google Chat. This feature is now available for threads in spaces. As a result, users can return to threads when it's convenient for them and more efficiently stay on top of their messages.

Chat apps can now create spaces with their own identity using the Google Chat API.

This update enhances Chat apps for real-time collaboration and allows for more sophisticated and autonomous Chat apps by eliminating the need to create spaces and memberships on behalf of a user. This is now generally available for Google Workspace developers.

Google Chat API is now generally available for Google Workspace developers to manage custom emoji.

The Google Chat Custom Emoji API is now generally available for Google Workspace developers. You can now call the Chat API to manage custom emoji when custom emoji are enabled for your organization: Create custom emoji, Delete custom emoji, Get custom emoji, List custom emoji.

Draggable dividers on large screen Android devices for Gmail and Google Chat.

When using the Gmail or Google Chat app on your large screen Android device you can now drag the divider that divides the list view and conversation view in the existing two pane layout. Draggable dividers enable you to pick between a one pane or two pane experience and allow you to control the width of each pane when in two pane mode.