Google has introduced Huddles, a new audio-first meeting feature in Google Chat, designed to enable instant communication directly within chats. Powered by Google Meet, Huddles lets Workspace users start quick audio calls with options for video and screen sharing, creating a versatile tool for real-time collaboration.
The rollout begins today, November 28, 2024, and will extend to all Google Workspace tiers within the coming weeks, positioning Chat as a stronger player in the collaboration software market.
Streamlining Real-Time Collaboration
Huddles brings simplicity to workplace communication by eliminating the friction of traditional meeting setups. With a few clicks, users can start an audio call directly from a chat thread by selecting the “Start a huddle” option in the drop-down menu. The call begins as audio-only, with the flexibility to add video or share screens as needed.
The new feature is seamlessly integrated into Google Chat, with participants notified via an embedded chat chip that allows them to join the meeting instantly. Unlike creating separate meeting links or navigating between apps, Huddles is designed for multitasking. A floating window interface lets users participate in calls while continuing other tasks within Chat, making it a practical solution for hybrid and remote work environments.
What´s Different About Huddles in Google Chat
Huddles takes inspiration from similar features in competing platforms, such as Slack’s Huddles, but offers notable differences by integrating Google Meet’s backend. Meet, Google’s video conferencing platform, supports high-quality audio, video, and screen sharing, enabling Huddles to handle both quick discussions and more formal meetings.
This approach might gives Google Chat a competitive edge by combining the lightweight nature of quick audio calls with the advanced functionality of a full-fledged conferencing tool. Huddles on Slack often appear sluggish, a reason why some (like us) ignore the feature altogether if they have a very responsive and high quality solution already open and in reach.
By embedding Huddles into Chat, Google simplifies workflows and reduces the need to switch between applications, aligning with the needs of increasingly dynamic and distributed teams.
Huddles also complements other recent enhancements to Google Chat, such as Gemini AI-powered summaries, which condense lengthy conversations into actionable insights, and advanced tagging features that streamline communication.
The release of Huddles underscores Google’s ambition to solidify its position in the highly competitive collaboration software market. Platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams have long dominated this space, offering a wide range of tools for workplace communication.
From Hangouts to Chat: A Deliberate Evolution
The introduction of Huddles is on more step in Google’s long-term effort to refine its communication tools. This journey began with the retirement of Google Hangouts in 2022, which marked a significant shift in Google’s strategy for workplace collaboration. Hangouts, once Google’s primary messaging platform, was replaced by Google Chat for text-based communication and Google Meet for video conferencing.
The migration process, while largely seamless for most users, involved significant changes. Google promised a more robust experience with Chat, offering features like tagging colleagues with @mentions, rich-text editing, and enhanced integration with Gmail. These updates were part of a broader vision to position Chat as a central hub for enterprise communication.
Google’s decision to phase out Hangouts reflected its recognition of the growing demand for specialized, feature-rich tools in the collaboration market. By leveraging Meet’s advanced infrastructure, Google aimed to create a unified ecosystem where users could access text, audio, and video capabilities within a single platform.
Availability and User Impact
Huddles will be available across all Google Workspace plans, including Business Starter, Standard, and Plus, as well as Enterprise and Nonprofit tiers. This wide availability ensures that teams of all sizes can benefit from the feature, whether they need quick, impromptu calls or structured meetings.
