Google Updates: Chat sidebar revamp, TV streamer feedback, and Messages redesign

Google has rolled out several updates across its services, including a revamped Google Chat sidebar, a feedback survey for Google TV Streamer users, and an upgraded interface for Google Messages. These updates aim to improve functionality, customization, and user experience across the platforms.

Google Chat: Sidebar Customization with Custom Sections

Google Chat’s web interface now includes custom sections in the sidebar, offering users more control over organizing their conversations. This redesign introduces a unified navigation experience and flexibility for users to structure the interface as per their preferences.

Key Features of the Sidebar Update

1. Custom Sections Creation
   • Users can create new sections by navigating to Direct Messages or Spaces, hovering over the three-dot menu, and selecting Create new section.
   • Conversations from Direct Messages, group chats, and Spaces can be moved into these sections using drag-and-drop or the Move conversation option.
2. Enhanced Navigation
   • All sections are unified into a single scrollable list, allowing smoother navigation.
   • Users can view top conversations, expand sections to access older chats, and use a new “Show all” option for browsing conversations.
3. Additional Sidebar Features
   • Adjust the size (height) of sections.
   • Reorder sections by dragging them up or down.
   • Toggle an Unread filter to focus on messages requiring attention.
   • Quickly start new messages from the three-dot menu.
4. New Default Section: Apps
   • A dedicated section for app integrations has been added to the sidebar.

Mobile and Rollout Details

While these features will be reflected in the Android and iOS versions of Google Chat under a “Sections” tab, creating and managing custom sections remains exclusive to the web. The update will roll out gradually to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and personal account users in the coming weeks.

Google TV Streamer Survey: Gathering User Feedback

Google is reaching out to users of the Google TV Streamer (4K) via surveys to better understand their experience. The survey focuses on usability, design, and performance, highlighting areas for potential improvements.

Key Survey Questions

• User Satisfaction: Participants rate their likelihood to recommend the device on a 0–10 scale.
• Purchase Decision: Google explores why users chose the TV Streamer over competitors like Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire Stick.
• Common Issues Reported:
  • Problems with Wi-Fi setup or remote functionality.
  • Difficulties in adjusting settings via the Home App.
  • Slow navigation, casting issues, or insufficient storage for updates.
  • Voice control or “Find my remote” features not working.

User Insights

The survey also gathers feedback on how users perceive the design and ease of using the device, as well as their satisfaction with features like smart home integration and storage capacity.

Google Messages: Merged Camera and Gallery Interface

Google Messages is testing a new design for its media picker, merging the camera viewfinder and gallery into a single fullscreen interface. This update is also rolling out the ability to send media in Original quality.

Changes in the Media Picker

1. New Fullscreen Interface
   • Tapping the Gallery icon now opens a fullscreen UI with the live camera viewfinder at the top and a gallery section below.
   • Users can swipe to expand the gallery into a full grid or access the system photo picker through the “Folders” option.
2. Simplified Media Quality Settings
   • Users can select between two quality options before sending:
     • Optimize for Chat: Reduces size for faster sending and less data usage.
     • Original Quality: Sends images and videos at full resolution, marked by an HD+ icon.
   • The “Send photos faster” toggle in Settings will be removed once this feature is widely available.
3. Streamlined Media Sending
   • After selecting or capturing media, users can preview it in a new interface with options to write captions and confirm the recipient.

Current Rollout Status

This redesign is currently available in beta (version 20241118_03_RC00) and will be gradually rolled out to all users.

Conclusion

Google’s recent updates focus on empowering users with more customization, improved design, and better functionality. Whether through Google Chat’s flexible sidebar, TV Streamer feedback surveys, or Messages’ enhanced media-sharing options, these changes aim to deliver a seamless and user-friendly experience across platforms.