In Brief: Google rebrands G Suite as Google Workspace; LinkedIn launches Stories in India

Google Cloud on Tuesday announced the integration of G Suite with its communication and collaboration tools under the Google Workspace brand. In a statement, Google said that users will see new icons for Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Meet and other collaborative content tools such as Docs, Sheets and Slides in the coming weeks. Additionally, the product will be extended to education and nonprofit customers of Google in the coming months as well, it said.

LinkedIn launches short video feature Stories in India

Microsoft-backed professional networking platform LinkedIn has launched in India its Stories feature, which will allow users to share pictures and 20-second videos that last for 24 hours. The feature is expected to increase user engagement and is similar to Twitter Fleets and Instagram Reels. In a statement, LinkedIn said that it has also updated its messaging experience with video meeting integration. Members can now switch from chats to virtual meeting using Microsoft Teams, Bluejeans by Verizon or Zoom on their LinkedIn message threads. 

Uber launches employee commute services

Ride hailing app Uber has announced the launch of its employee commute service as part of the Uber for Business programme in India. The Uber for Business platform has added pooled rides for employees of the same organisation as well as chartered services for businesses that can reserve a dedicated fleet for employees and customers, said a statement. For the chartered service, Uber will partner with third party fleet providers. At present, Uber for Business is live across 23 countries.

Flipkart announces exclusive products on sale for Big Billion Days

Walmart backed ecommerce platform Flipkart has announced that it will launch over 200 exclusive products during its annual sale event, Big Billion Days, which starts on October 16. The company, in a statement, said that the products will be available only during the six-day event and have been co-created with over 100 brands in categories including fashion, electronics, mobile phones, large appliances and personal care. The event coincides with rival Amazon India’s sale event Great Indian Festival, which will start on October 17.

Govt onboards Swiggy to take street food vendors online

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) said in a release that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with food delivery platform Swiggy to pilot delivery from 250 street vendors across five cities. The MoU was signed as part of Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) programme and will be operational in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Indore and Varanasi. On the successful completion of the pilot, the ministry and Swiggy will look at expanding the programme to more cities. 

Simpl adds 1,500 merchants through partnership with Razorpay

Micro credit platform Simpl has onboarded 1,500 new merchants on its platform through its partnership with payment gateway provider Razorpay. The partnership, announced in March, allows merchants using Razorpay’s services to accept Simpl as an additional mode of payment. In a statement, Simpl said that it saw a 40% increase in transactions from pre-Covid days for essentials through its interest-free micro credit platform.