Google to integrate Meet with Gmail, likely to add Zoom-like gallery soon

In terms of the design, the new feature sits between the folders and Hangouts Chat services on the toolbar on the left side of the service.

This feature is being rolled out the company’s web-based interface. (REUTERS)

Google is making major upgrades to its video conferencing app Meet. The company is integrating the app with Gmail, which would allow users to start and join meetings from within their inboxes.

"With more and more people working and learning from home, we want to make it easier for you to connect and keep things moving forward. With Meet in Gmail, you can easily start or join a meeting in seconds," Google wrote in a blog post.

In terms of the design, the new feature sits between the folders and Hangouts Chat services on the toolbar on the left side of the service. Here's how the integration would look like according to Google:

This feature is available for GSuite users only. (Google)

This feature is available for GSuite users only. (Google)

As far as the availability is concerned, the Google Meet integration in Gmail will be available to all GSuite users in the coming weeks. Google has started rolling out this feature to the web version of the service and it will be rolled out to the mobile based interface later this year.

Apart from bringing Google Meet to Gmail, the company is working on another update for its video conferencing app. According to a Reuters report, Google is planning to bring a Zoom-like gallery to Meet.

Zoom let's users see thumbnails of up to 49 people in gallery view. Google is planning to introduce a similar feature to Google Meets but with some change. As per the report, the tech giant is planning to display up to 16 participants on the screen. In addition to that, the company is also planning to improve video quality in dim lighting and filtering of background noise, such as keyboard clicks and slamming doors in the app.

It is worth noting that this announcement comes shortly after the company announced that it had witnessed a 60% surge in the usage of Hangouts Meet, which is now Google Meet. The company also said that Meet usage was 25 times more in March than what it was in January.