Google Workspace Updates: Android

Friday, May 16, 2025

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - May 16, 2025

6 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.

Easily connect to BigQuery data using Saved Queries in Connected Sheets

We’re launching direct access to the BigQuery saved queries feature directly from Connected Sheets. Users can now quickly and easily create a new Connected Sheet by selecting a previously saved query under any project they have access to. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Learn more about analyzing & refreshing BigQuery data in Google Sheets using Connected Sheets, getting started with BigQuery data in Google Sheets and writing & editing a query.

Scan documents easier using Google Drive on Android devices

To improve upon the scanning experience in the Google Drive app on Android devices, we’re increasing the size and updating the style of the scan buttons. To scan something, open the Drive app on your Android device > scan a document > edit scan (if desired) > upload to Drive. | Rollout to Rapid Release domains is complete; Rolling out now to Scheduled Release domains, with expected completion by June 30, 2025. | Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about scanning documents with Google Drive.

Chat apps can now create spaces with their own identity using the Google Chat API

Last year, we introduced a feature through the Google Workspace Developer Preview Program that enables Chat apps to create spaces and memberships - using application identity - via the Google Chat API. This update further enhances Chat apps for real-time collaboration and allows for even more sophisticated and autonomous Chat apps by eliminating the need to create spaces and memberships on behalf of a user. This week, we’re excited to announce that this is now generally available for Google Workspace developers. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to all Google Workspace customers. | Visit the Developer blog to see an example and learn more about what this means for developers. You can also visit our developer documentation to explore how to authenticate and authorize Chat apps, and learn how to create spaces and add space members using application identity.

Export Gemini responses to a Google Doc or Sheet from Gemini in the side panel of Google Drive

Users can collaborate with Gemini in Google Drive to perform various tasks, such as extracting data, drafting proposals, creating study guides and more. We’re excited to build upon this by giving users the ability to convert Gemini’s response directly into a Sheet or a Doc. After asking Gemini a question, click the ‘Export to Doc’ or ‘Export to Sheet’ button, and you’ll have an artifact that you can continue working on or share with others. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to Business Standard and Plus; Enterprise Standard and Plus; Google One AI Premium; Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on, and anyone who previously purchased a Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about collaborating with Gemini in Google Drive.

Export Gemini responses to a Google Doc or Sheet from the Gemini side panel in Google Drive

Create even more interactive YouTube assignments in Google Classroom

In 2024, we added AI-suggested questions that educators can easily attach to the video based on its content to save educators time. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’re expanding the collection of YouTube videos that have AI-suggested questions available. As a result, educators can create even more interactive YouTube assignments in Classroom more quickly and efficiently, with the help of Gemini. Before assigning the interactive video activity, educators will be able to edit the suggested questions ahead of attaching the YouTube video to the assignment. | Rollout to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available for Google Workspace Education Plus and the Teaching and Learning add-on. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about interactive questions for YouTube videos in Google Classroom.

Your users can now express interest in upgrading their Google Workspace subscription

We’re introducing a simple way for Workspace end users to request an upgraded edition of Google Workspace from their admins. To send this request, Workspace end users will see a path to request an upgraded Workspace edition including additional Gemini features when they interact with Gemini, such as with the Gemini icon displayed across Workspace apps. This interaction will provide an end user a path to complete a request form for an upgraded Workspace edition. Super admins will receive this request by email, and from there they can choose to upgrade their Workspace subscription directly in the Admin console. | Admins can disable these requests at any time in the Admin console by going to Account > Account Settings > Gemini for Google Workspace, and deselecting the ‘User-requested upgrades’ setting — use this article in our Help Center for more information. | Please note this is only available for customers in the US and India with fewer than 300 licenses. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Learn more about Gemini for Workspace, including our recent Gemini for Workspace announcements.

Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

Use Gemini in Drive to interact with folders in 20+ additional languages

Last year, we added folder support to Gemini in the side panel of Google Drive. This week, we’re excited to announce this experience is now available in 20+ languages. | Learn more about language availability for Gemini in Drive.

Use Gemini in Google Sheets to quickly add dropdowns, pivot tables, filters, and more

Analyzing and manipulating data in spreadsheets can be complex and time-consuming, even for experienced users. This week, we're introducing powerful new editing options within Gemini in Sheets that are designed to help everyone accomplish more, faster. | Learn more about Gemini in Sheets.

Google Workspace apps for Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Calendar, Keep, and Tasks are now generally available for the Gemini app

Earlier this year, we launched Google Workspace apps (formerly known as "extensions") in Gemini in open beta. When enabled, Gemini can reference and incorporate data from these apps to generate even more informed and relevant responses, bringing Gemini’s capabilities more seamlessly into your daily workflows, helping enhance productivity. Workspace apps are available for: Calendar, Docs, Drive, Gmail, Keep, Tasks. | Learn more about Workspace apps in the Gemini app.

Extract and categorize data in AppSheet with the power of Gemini

At Google Cloud Next 2025, we introduced Gemini in AppSheet solutions for AppSheet Enterprise Plus users. Now you can automatically extract key information from uploaded photos, parse through complex PDFs, or even categorize, route and prioritize incoming requests based on their content – all seamlessly within your existing AppSheet apps. The new AI Task (Preview) feature, powered by Gemini, makes this a reality. | Learn more about Gemini in AppSheet.

Upcoming Changes to Microsoft Exchange Migrations

Beginning May 31, 2025, the legacy Data Migration Service will no longer support migrating email, calendar, and contact data from Microsoft Exchange on-premises servers (e.g., Exchange 2010, 2013, or 2016). Admins will not be able to start new migrations after May 31, 2025 – migrations that are in progress will continue until completion. | Learn more about changes to Microsoft Exchange Migrations.

Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.

Rapid Release Domains:

Start a conversation with Gemini in the side panel of Google Drive about specific files

Scheduled Release Domains:

Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Updated design for Google Meet meeting controls on Android and iOS

What’s changing

We are updating the location of some Google Meet meeting controls on Android and iOS devices, which are intended to organize features in a more intuitive way. This will help you to navigate the Meet layout faster and more intuitively. These are strictly design updates with no changes in functionality.

1. Emoji reactions are moving from the triple-dot overflow menu to the bottom bar. Simply tap the Emoji toggle to access or hide the reaction picker.

Before	After

2. The hand raise feature is moving from the bottom bar to the triple-dot overflow menu. This change applies to mobile devices only - if you’re using a larger screen device, such as a tablet, you’ll continue to see the Hand Raise icon in the main call controls menu.

Before	After

3. Host management controls will move from the overflow menu to the settings menu, under the “General” section.

Before	After

4. The option to report a problem is now in one location, in the Settings menu.

Before	After

Finally, there is an additional change for iOS only: The end call button is moving from the left side to the right side of the primary controls, bringing the experience inline with Android.

Before	After

Additional details

The minimum build required for these updates are:

Android:

Meet: 291.0.722438190.duo.android_20250202.14
Gmail: 2025.02.02.722438226

iOS:

Meet: 294.0
Gmail: 6.0.250209

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin impact or action required.
End users: You’ll notice these improvements automatically.

Rollout pace

These updates will rollout to Android devices first, followed by iOS. We will update this post as the respective rollouts complete.

Android:

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 20, 2025

iOS:

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 24, 2025

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Data classification labels in Gmail are now available on all Android and iOS devices

What’s changing

In November 2024, we launched an open beta for data classification labels in Gmail. Beginning today, data classification labels will be available when using the Gmail app on mobile Android and iOS devices. Expanding data classification labels to mobile enables organizations to protect their data whether their users are sharing and accessing information from desktop devices or from mobile devices in the field or on-the-go.

Classification labels on mobile when composing a message, reading a message, and a message thread.

Additionally, these protections provide an automated way to enhance data security. For more information on data classification labels in Gmail, please refer to our original announcement.

Getting started

Admins:

If there are classification labels enabled for Gmail, users will start seeing classification fields in the compose flow on iOS and Android.
If you’re new to classification labels, they can be enabled at the domain, group level, or individual user level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about getting started with classification labels, Gmail DLP & automatic classification labels, and preventing data leaks in email and attachments.
Since this feature is still in an open beta period, and with the introduction of mobile support, we strongly encourage you to continue providing feedback so we can optimize the feature for general availability.

End users: If configured by your admin, you’ll see the “Classification” option when composing a new messaging or replying to or forwarding an existing message on mobile. When you open the menu, you can select labels relevant to your message. Visit the Help Center to learn more about adding classification labels in Gmail.

Rollout pace

Android: Available now
iOS: Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 11, 2025

Availability

The Label Manager and manual classification is available to Google Workspace:

Frontline Starter and Standard
Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education Standard and Education Plus
Essentials, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus

Data loss prevention rules with labels as a condition or labels as an action are available to:

Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade
Frontline Standard
Cloud Identity Premium (in combination with a Workspace Edition eligible for Gmail)

Resources

Friday, November 29, 2024

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - November 29, 2024

2 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.

Drag and drop contacts in the addressee fields when composing an email on your Android device

When writing an email in the Gmail app on your Android device, you can now drag and drop contacts in the addressee fields. This makes it easier for you to move an email address between the "to," "cc," and “bcc” fields. | Rollout to Rapid Release domains and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

Expanding row limits in Connected Sheets for Looker

Earlier this year, we increased the maximum number of rows of results returned from BigQuery to 100,000 for pivot tables. This week, we’re expanding this to Connected Sheets for Looker by increasing the maximum number of rows of results returned from Looker to 100,000 for pivot tables. With this update, users can analyze even more results in Sheets from the petabytes of data in Looker. | Rolling out to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains now. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about Connected Sheets for Looker.