Google Workspace gets a makeover to take on Microsoft 365

Google's office software platform Google Workspace, which includes common services like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Google Drive, is getting a facelift as the company strives to keep up with competitors like Microsoft 365. 

The company said in its official blog post that the update has been inspired by Google’s Material Design 3, which gives some of its popular tools a modern look that delivers “a simpler, more streamlined UI”. It will further allow enterprise users to “work more efficiently in the tools you know and love,” it said.

Google said that it is working to "transform Workspace into a user-friendly, connected suite of applications rather than a collection of standalone programmes". For example, variables in Google Docs, which will allow users to define common data elements like a client name or contract number in their documents and then update it throughout the document by changing the value in one place, is another feature that will be available very soon, the company said. 

Further, look wise, the company may be adding a few additional darker hues to areas like the toolbar and comments in order to help them stand out from a document's white page. In contrast to the rectangle with rounded corners Google now employs for the 'Share' button, it is now more rounded. 

Additionally, Google Workspace has revealed that a number of the “smart canvas” features it previewed at its Google Cloud NEXT event held in October 2022. The company said it will soon be available to everyone. This includes the introduction of “smart chips” across third-party applications that show search results as a user type into the search box, making it 'simpler' to connect individuals, files, and events to Google Workspace files. 

The tech firm said that cloud content services platform AODocs, collaboration software services Atassian, web and mobile work management platform Asana, collaborative web application Figma and data visualisation software firm Tableau are a few of the initial partner services whose users can anticipate integration with smart canvas soon. 

It also rolled out some new smart chips of its own, too, including stopwatch, emoji voting, and calendar invite chips for Docs, as well as a handy date shortcut chip in Sheets. 

Earlier this month, Microsoft too said it is incorporating a new capability in its office productivity suite Microsoft 365 that will allow users to send documents from Microsoft Word to the Kindle e-reader device or Kindle app. It is expected to start rolling out by mid-March and hit broad availability by mid-April. 

In January, Microsoft rolled out Microsoft 365 Basic, a new affordable subscription plan, priced at $1.99 per month that will replace the 100GB OneDrive storage option, it said. The company is also making changes to align the user interface of its Teams Rooms platform for conferencing across the Windows and Android ecosystems.

According to a report by market research firm Statista published this month, as of February 2023, Google's office suite controlled over 50% of the market share for major office suite technologies worldwide. Microsoft's Office 365 is the other major competitor in the market now has 45% market share in this category.