Back in September, Google announced it would be allowing users to make calls directly from the Gmail app on iOS and Android. Initially, users could create a Google Meet link in the app and share it with others via the service of their choice. They could also join meetings created by others through the mobile app. Google is now making it easier to start audio and video calls by adding direct call buttons in the Gmail app.
Google has announced in a blog post (via The Verge) that it’s now rolling out the new audio and video call buttons in the Gmail mobile app. You can find the added buttons in the conversations you access from the Chat tab. If you can’t see them just yet, make sure you’re using the latest version of the app. Google also mentions that this feature could take more than 15 days to reach all users, with the gradual rollout starting today.
This new feature is available to all Google users — Google Workspace, G Suite Basic, and Business customers, as well as users with personal Google accounts. This makes Gmail the go-to app for all sorts of communications, rather than an email-focused one. The company also highlights that users clicking the “Join a call” button in the Google Chat app will be redirected to the Gmail app.
The new interface reminds us of Google’s retired Hangouts. It’s unclear what plans Google has in store for the current Gmail app. However, it’s obvious that the company wants it to evolve into a richer service that bundles communication tools. The app now has four bottom tabs — Mail, Chat, Rooms, and Meet. This design spares users from having to hop between apps to get things done with their teams.
