Google Chat has introduced a new feature designed to assist users in identifying priority conversations effortlessly. The latest update incorporates participant avatars into unread threads, allowing users to quickly discern which conversations are most relevant without needing to read through the messages. Developed by Google as a replacement for its previous messaging and video calling platform, Google Hangouts, Google Chat aims to streamline communication within organizations.
The announcement of this new feature was made via a post on the Google Workspace blog, detailing its functionality. Previously, Google Chat introduced a feature in 2023 for Spaces (group discussions), enabling users to reply to specific messages through in-line reply threads. While this facilitated focused discussions within Spaces, users faced challenges when returning to the platform after a break, encountering multiple threads without knowing their context. The addition of participant avatars to unread threads now addresses this issue, providing users with upfront context about ongoing discussions.
According to Google, this enhancement aims to simplify the decision-making process regarding which threads to read and respond to, eliminating the need to manually open each thread to understand its content. This feature is available to all Google account holders, including Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal accounts. Admin control is not required for Workspace users, and the feature is enabled by default across web, Android, and iOS platforms. While the rollout began on Monday, it may take up to two weeks for all users to receive the update.
In addition to this improvement in Google Chat, the company recently introduced a new feature called “Scan Text” mode in Gboard, its keyboard app for smartphones. This feature allows users to capture text from images using optical character recognition (OCR) technology and insert it directly into the text field, enhancing user productivity and convenience.