Google Meet Gets Gmail Integration for Video Calls

Now make video calls from your Gmail account

As more and more people are working from home demand for video conferencing apps, enterprise solutions is increasing. Zoom is one of the most popular among them but due to security concerns like ZoomBombing, people are looking for its alternatives. All this gives leverage to competitors.

With that said Google is integrating Google Meet with Gmail and brings new additional features.

Why integrate Google Meet and Gmail?

The answer is simple once Google Meet is available in Gmail, users will be able to join meetings and start a video call right from their inbox. This will make staying connected easy.

Moreover, the need for a separate video calling app will be reduced.

What new features are added to Google Meet?

As millions of institutions continue operating in this social distancing era, new features that make things easy are required. Understanding the need of the hour Google plans to add a plethora of features to Google Meet.

New Features:

• Integration of Meet with e-mail is the first of several features
• Inspired by Zoom’s UI, a Grid layout for displaying 16 participants at once will be added later this month.
• Improved video conferencing experience by enhancing video quality in dim light.
• Better at muting out background noises

How to use integrated Google Meet with Gmail?

To start a video call, from Gmail follow the steps below:

1. Head to your Gmail account.

2. Click Start a meeting. This will open a new window.

• Before joining the meeting, you can disable the microphone and camera from the bottom. To find meeting code and details click on the right.

3. Now click Join now to enter the call.

4. This will pull up a window with meeting details Choose an option:

Copy joining info – using it you can link with someone sharing the code

Add people – this option will let you invite people to the chat by entering their email addresses, names, and phone. If you are inviting them by email simply enter the address and click Send Invite. To invite by phone, click Call enter a phone number.

That’s it now you can talk to people and make video calls from Gmail. Once done click End call.

How to Join a video call?

1. Sign in to your Gmail account
2. Click Join a meeting
   

   

3. Enter the received meeting code > Join > Join Now.

Note: A call can also be joined from a Google Calendar event.

Why is Google making these changes?

With 2 million users added per day and more than 100 million education users across 150 countries, Google’s agility is justifiable. This new feature offers ease of use.

To be clear, this is just the beginning soon you will see other companies doing the same. Microsoft Teams, the CISCO Meeting app, are a few other challenging rivals of Google Meet.  Soon we will see those adding new features. But do you think this is the right time to add new features and attract users? Aren’t the companies being selfish? Or are they seriously helping? What is your opinion?

Your opinions matter a lot so please share them with us in comments