Google Meet just got an upgrade that should make meetings less annoying

Google See merely got an upgrade that should make meetings less annoying

(Image credit: Google)

Google Encounter is getting a much-needed range of updates to brand the platform's manus-raise feature work more effectively.

The changes, which have been fully outlined in an update log from Google (spotted by 9to5Google), might seem like minor additions on the surface, but with remote working yet a reality for many people, they're very welcome all the same. Essentially, they're about making the hand-enhance feature "easier to notice and address" — an upgrade Meet most definitely needs if information technology's to take on Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

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The nearly immediately credible aspect of this update will be the "updated and improved visual icon and blitheness" that volition play whenever a user raises their hand. Of course, while this blitheness is pretty flashy, it actually does very picayune to improve functionality. Thankfully, this isn't all the update contains.

Google Meet hand raising update — (Image credit: Google)

Slightly more useful additions added by this update include the tiles of users with a raised hand beingness moved to a more than visible spot in grid view, so a speaker is less likely to miss any hands in the air. Plus, at that place volition now be an audio notification when a participant first raises their hand, likewise as an warning displaying the number of raised hands and the order in which they were beginning raised.

Finally, "a participant'due south hand will exist automatically lowered after they speak." This will be extremely useful for those forgetful coworkers who spend entire meetings with a raised paw after failing to put it dorsum down.

All these features will be enabled by default and are existence currently being rolled out to Google Workspace users. Google notes, though, that they won't be bachelor on Yard Suite Basic or for users with a personal Google Account. Instead, they appear to be designed for utilise primarily past those using WorkSpace every bit part of a larger system.

These changes come in the wake of Google eliminating the need to pay to access Google Workspace earlier this month. Information technology seems the tech giant is aggressively going afterward competing services similar Zoom and Teams, so await to see more than ease-of-apply updates in the hereafter.

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Rory is a staff writer at Tom's Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics including tech news, deals, gaming, streaming and more than. When he's not writing hot takes on the latest gaming hardware and streaming shows, he tin can exist institute watching a deadline unhealthy corporeality of movies and being thoroughly disappointed by his terrible football team.