Google Chat Unveils Huddles for Seamless Audio Meetings: How It Functions

Google has officially launched a new feature in Google Chat called Huddles, aimed at enhancing the experience of conducting audio-first meetings. Initially previewed in August 2023, Huddles allows users to start real-time audio meetings within their existing chat threads, offering a smooth and fast alternative to traditional meetings that require separate links.

What Is Google Chat Huddles?

Huddles brings a new level of ease to collaborative communication. It is designed for seamless integration within Google Chat, eliminating the need to leave ongoing chats or create meeting links. This feature is inspired by the earlier Google+ Huddles text chat tool and is comparable to Slack's Huddles function. It allows users to quickly initiate discussions without disrupting the flow of their conversations.

How Google Chat Huddles Works

To use Huddles, users can simply click on the Huddles icon located in the top-right corner of their chat interface. This action starts an audio-first meeting within the same thread. Once the meeting begins, a floating window with controls appears, allowing participants to immediately communicate with each other.

Key functionality of Huddles includes:

• Real-time chats within existing Google Chat threads.

• Floating meeting controls for easy management during the meeting.

• Seamless collaboration across Google Spaces, direct messages, and group conversations.

• Notification for participants when a Huddle has been initiated through a chat chip.

Key Features of Google Chat Huddles

Google Chat’s Huddles feature offers a more flexible and streamlined way to conduct meetings. It supports both audio and video calls, and users can even share their screens during a session, making it a versatile communication tool for collaborative work.

Some key features include:

• Audio-first meetings: Huddles is designed to be an audio-first meeting tool, reducing the need for meeting links.

• Multitasking: Participants can resize the floating meeting window to multitask or share their screens without interrupting the conversation flow.

• Google Meet Integration: Huddles is powered by Google Meet, ensuring high-quality communication and functionality.

Benefits of Huddles for Users

Google highlights several advantages of Huddles in enhancing communication:

• It eliminates the need for sending meeting links manually, streamlining the scheduling process.

• The ability to switch between tasks quickly makes it easier to handle multiple things while staying engaged in the meeting.

• The floating window feature allows for more flexibility in managing the conversation while handling other tasks.

Availability and Rollout of Huddles

The Huddles feature will be gradually rolled out to Google Workspace users in the upcoming weeks. This includes users with Business Starter, Standard, Plus, and Enterprise plans, as well as Essentials and Enterprise Essentials subscribers. Non-profit organizations will also be able to access this feature.

Conclusion

Google's new Huddles feature in Google Chat enhances real-time communication and offers more flexibility for users, making it easier to collaborate without interrupting workflows. By integrating seamlessly with Google Meet, Huddles is designed to support both audio and video calls, transforming how teams interact in Google Chat.