Google Workspace is sprucing up its features with a considerable number of QoL and security improvements for its March 2024 update. Functions such as smoother video playback on Google Drive, improved search on iOS devices, and even importing and converting files to encrypted Google sheets, among other improvements that improve user-friendliness across the board.
Video Playback and Search Boosts
As teased, one of the key updates includes playback improvements for videos uploaded on Google Drive. Google is enabling Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) video transcodes for all new videos uploaded to Drive. This enhancement provides adaptive bitrate playback, ensuring users receive higher or lower resolution playback based on their local network quality.
This update also brings improvements in join time and reduces re-buffering during playback, providing a smoother viewing experience. Existing videos in Drive will also be updated with these improvements by the end of the year.
Google Drive's search experience on iOS devices is also getting a boost. Google is simplifying how users access query filters by introducing filter categories directly below the search bar. This update includes filters for File Type, Owners, and Last modified, making it easier to refine searches. Additionally, relevant query filters will be displayed as users type their query, saving time and effort. After reaching the search results page, users will have the option to further refine their search.
These updates are currently available to iOS users, with Android support coming soon.
Timeout Extension, Encrypted Transfers
Connected Sheets, which allow users to analyze and visualize BigQuery data in Google Sheets, are also getting an upgrade. Last year, Google extended the timeout time for BigQuery and Looker queries from 5 to 10 minutes. Now, the timeout time has been further increased to 20-30 minutes, providing users with more flexibility. Users can also view the status of a query and easily cancel it directly on Google Sheets. These enhancements aim to give users more oversight, especially when dealing with queries that scan larger data sets.
In addition to these updates, Google also announced several other improvements and features. For Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers, there is now the ability to import and convert sensitive Excel files into client-side encrypted Google Sheets. This feature enhances security when working with sensitive data.
Other Notable Updates
The update will also allow Google Chat users to see participant avatars for unread threads in the conversation view, making it easier to identify relevant threads without opening the thread side panel. The Groups Admin role can now be provisioned for specific group types, giving administrators more granular control over group admin responsibilities.
Then there are the new ways to annotate Google Docs, conduct direct 1:1 calls with people outside your video calling network on Google Meet mobile, and manage and secure school accounts and mobile devices centrally in the Google Admin console with the Endpoint Education Upgrade.
You can check out the complete rollout in Google’s official release notes.
