Google Workspace Changes

Use Hangouts Meet with Safari

You can now use Hangouts Meet, including screen sharing functionality, with Safari version 13 or higher. This will create a simpler meeting experience for Mac users who prefer to use Safari as their default browser.

Use a phone for audio in a Hangouts Meet video call

Users can now use separate sources for audio and video feeds in a Hangouts Meet video call. Specifically, users can dial into a call or have Meet call their phone for audio while continuing to use their computer's camera and web browser for video, ensuring consistent audio quality even with poor network connections or faulty computer hardware.

Use a phone for audio while using your computer's camera and web browser for video in a Hangouts Meet video call.

You can now use different sources for your audio and video feeds in a Hangouts Meet video call. Specifically, you can use a phone call for audio while still using your computer's camera and web browser for video. This can be done by dialing into the call directly, or by having Meet call your phone. You can use your phone for audio immediately upon joining, or anytime after joining if you’d like to switch.

Select specific participants in the Meet Quality Tool to view targeted data and statistics.

Administrators can now select specific participants when viewing meetings in the Meet Quality Tool. This allows for the display of data and statistics for a subset of participants, which helps limit the amount of information displayed on the screen and avoids pagination even for very large meetings.

View data for only selected call participants in the Meet Quality Tool.

You can now select specific participants when viewing meetings in the Meet Quality Tool. This allows you to display data and statistics for just a subset of the participants.

Present high-quality video content with audio in meetings using the HDMI cable on Hangouts Meet hardware.

Users can now present high-quality video content with audio in meetings with remote participants using the HDMI cable included with Hangouts Meet hardware kits. While this cable previously supported local presentations, it now allows for presenting into meetings with remote participants as well.

Present to meetings using the HDMI cable on Hangouts Meet hardware

Present high-quality video content with audio in your meeting using the HDMI cable included with Hangouts Meet hardware kits.

Consolidated setting for Hangouts Meet and classic Hangouts video calls.

Google has combined the Admin console settings for Hangouts Meet and classic Hangouts video calling into a single setting. This allows administrators to manage all video calling within their organization from one location found under Apps > G Suite > Settings for Google Hangouts > Meet settings.

Manage Hangouts Meet and classic Hangouts video calls with one setting

Video calling from Hangouts Meet and classic Hangouts is now controlled by the same setting. This means that the setting in the Admin console that controls classic Hangouts video calling now also controls Hangouts Meet.

Video calling from Hangouts Meet and classic Hangouts is now controlled by the same setting.

The setting in the Admin console that controls classic Hangouts video calling now also controls Hangouts Meet. By combining these settings, Google is making it easier for admins to manage all video calling within their organization.

Launch of the Hangouts Meet Starter Kit.

The Hangouts Meet Starter Kit helps organizations migrate to Hangouts Meet by providing customizable email templates, tip sheets with adoption best practices, change management resources, IT Admin Q&A, and printable posters.

Limited support for Hangouts Meet added for Microsoft Internet Explorer 11.

Google has introduced limited support for Hangouts Meet in Microsoft Internet Explorer 11. To enable this functionality, users are required to download and install the latest version of the Google Video Support Plugin. This update is available to all G Suite editions and is off by default.

Beta program for Google Assistant on Asus Hangouts Meet Hardware Kit

Google is launching a beta program that allows users to control the Asus Hangouts Meet Hardware Kit using Google Assistant. This integration enables voice commands to join or exit meetings, call phone numbers, and turn on spoken feedback, aiming to create a more seamless meeting experience and increase accessibility.

Combining the Admin console settings for Hangouts Chat and classic Hangouts.

Combining the Admin console settings for Hangouts Chat and classic Hangouts to make it easier to manage policies and make sure they’re configured appropriately. The new settings will be located at Admin console > Apps > G Suite > Hangouts Chat.

Live captions are now available in the Google Meet iOS app.

Google has expanded live captions support for Hangouts Meet to the iOS app. Captions are currently available in English and must be enabled individually on each device to be visible. Please note that captions will not appear in meeting recordings.