Google puts tools rivalling Microsoft, Slacks at centre of I/O
CALIFORNIA: Google unfurled an expansive range of consumer products and gee-whiz research at the kickoff of its marquee annual conference, with announcements spanning quantum computing, garrulous bots, automated photo animations and dermatology screenings.
The technology giant bookended the presentation with tools made for workplaces, underscoring the company’s desire to position itself as a leader in the less splashy business of enterprise software.
Alphabet Inc.’s Google opened its I/O conference on Tuesday, held virtually, by unveiling a series of upgrades to Workspace, its collaboration software suite. Traditionally, Google has devoted the conference to mobile software. Instead, it led off with a presentation from Javier Soltero, a vice president hired from Microsoft Corp. to manage Workspace. Soltero introduced a new ability to insert Google Meet video calls directly inside other tools like Docs and Sheets, a direct challenge to Microsoft’s Teams product and offerings from Zoom Video Communications Inc.
Google also touted Smart Canvas, a project-management feature. This means Google is plowing forward in a market full of much smaller players, such as Atlassian Corp., Asana Inc., and Salesforce.com Inc., which is undergoing a blockbuster acquisition of workplace-chat service Slack.
Even Google’s most far-out release of the day was framed as an assist to its cloud business. At the end of the keynote, chief executive officer Sundar Pichai teased a new project called Starline. Using compression technology, Google showed off a way to hold video calls with people as 3D holograms.
“It’s as close as we can get to the feeling of sitting across from someone,” Pichai said.
“We have spent thousands of hours testing it in our own offices, and the results are promising,” he added.
“There’s also excitement from our lead enterprise partners.” He mentioned media and healthcare companies, but didn’t offer further details.
Revenue in Google’s cloud division grew 46% to $4.05 billion during the first quarter. The company doesn’t share Workspace sales.