According to network sources, Google is planning to release an app that combines the Gmail email service, Google Drive cloud storage, and the proprietary corporate messenger Hangouts.
The new Google application is likely being created to attract corporate clients who have switched to using services from competing companies, including Microsoft. For example, Microsoft Teams and Slack provide users with various voice and video conferencing features and have integrations with cloud services like Dropbox and Salesforce. Currently, Google cannot offer G Suite corporate users anything similar.
It is worth noting that at the time of its launch, the Google Hangouts messenger was aimed at the consumer market, but later became primarily focused on corporate users. Currently, it is divided into several separate products, including the video chat Hangouts Meet, the text messenger Hangouts Chat, and the standard version, which combines the capabilities of the mentioned applications.
All versions of Hangouts continue to exist since, in the middle of last year, Google announced the postponement of the closure date for the standard version of Hangouts. Thus, the previously mentioned applications coexist alongside the consumer versions of Hangouts, as well as other similar solutions like Google Chat, Google Duo, and Google Voice. Introducing a new communication platform or something similar could further complicate the ecosystem of existing Google services designed for communication.
Source: 3dnews.ru
