Remote Working and Collaboration Tech Race: Google vs. Microsoft Teams
The global Coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed a company's approach to work. As organizations start to embrace working remotely, companies have gone all out in search of the most appropriate tech solution to enhance virtual collaboration.
According to research by Gallup, 62% of Americans in active employment are working from home. Two companies, Google and Microsoft, have become the trailblazers in getting people to operate from home seamlessly.
Video conferencing and virtual offices are becoming essential for interaction in the present digital era, and Google Meet and Microsoft Teams are leading the way.
NYC IT Consulting expert Krystal Triumph from Atlantic IT offers a brief review of Google and Microsoft Teams and how Google is giving Microsoft Team a run for its money.
How Does Google Meet Work?
For a long time now, Google has been associated with online searches and email communication. To reap from the current work from home set-up, Google introduced the Google Meet program to streamline teleconferencing in organizations. With just a Gmail account, users can now access the Google Meet application at no extra costs.
Google Meet app taps into email contact lists when sending out invites to interested members. The inviting bar is used to request unsaved email contacts to join the online meeting. Google Meet app is currently adding approximately 3 million extra users every day.
A host shares their screen with everyone attending the virtual conference, deactivate chat aids, and exit a member. Additionally, employees can share real-time links and files as all shared links and discussed points are filed and stored on Google Drive.
How Does Microsoft Teams Work?
Microsoft Teams is an audiovisual conferencing software that uses OneDrive to save conference proceedings for future sharing or training. Microsoft Teams comes with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Meeting hosts in this app can remove or silent a member, share their screen to demonstrate real-time clips, and distribute copies using chat features. In addition, Microsoft Teams has breakout rooms to capture team-building activities such as workouts.
Microsoft Teams code all shared data and company deliberations to protect business files from uninvited intruders who might disrupt the meeting. More businesses are installing Microsoft Teams due to their multiplicity and simplicity. Currently, the app has an estimated 75 million everyday users.
The free Microsoft Teams option is stripped down to the basic features with users unable to save proceedings. However, participants can still share documents and see the shared screen.
How does Google Meet and Microsoft Teams Compare?
Numbers
Both applications have seen a sharp growth in 2020 fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic that has made working from home a new normal.
In terms of numbers, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed that Microsoft Teams usage has increased to the highest growth of more than 75 million active subscribers daily. Google Meet, considered a late entrant into the teleconferencing space, is racking up to 3 million new users daily.
Integration
Google Meet is integrated with Gmail and Google Calendar to allow individuals to join or begin sessions from their inbox. Google Meet allows users to link up their collaboration tools with other applications such as Slack.
In contrast, Microsoft Teams integrates with Outlook through two separate options: One supports meetings, while the other enhance file sharing among team members. Microsoft Team has numerous integration plugins for staff to access third-party programs, Dynamics 365, and OneNote apps.
Features
Google Meet integrates with other Google stack apps to enhance information sharing. A single meeting call supports around 250 members with 100,000 able to join in a live-stream. Furthermore, users can call in if not connected online. Google Meeting features include:
- Advanced search
- Use of G-Suite packages
- Audiovisual calling
- Gallery layout for virtual conferences
- Tailored control alternatives for hosts
- Document sharing
Microsoft Teams falls under the Microsoft 365 package, with users able to unlock the business phone as they enjoy instantaneous messaging. The Teams app integrates seamlessly with Microsoft applications like Office and supports threaded chats and audiovisual calling sessions. Here are some of its features:
- Integrated with Microsoft 365
- Exceptional search functionality
- Support audio conversations
- High teleconferencing performance
- Link sharing
- Threaded texts and prompt messaging
Is Google Positioning Itself to Win the Remote Working and Collaboration Race?
In recent times Google has introduced a raft of changes and updates indicating plans to have a stranglehold of the remote working and collaboration space. Here are some of the changes announced by the tech giant.
Google has rolled out a multifaceted Gmail consisting of four components, namely Mail, Chat, Meet, and Rooms. Chat and Meet comprise Google's strong response to the increasingly competitive conferencing space, which has been dominated by Microsoft Teams and lately, by Zoom.
By introducing the changes via the popular Gmail platform, Google is wary of introducing separate applications that might take time to gain traction in the competitive tech space. The changes introduced means that users can now open and edit a document without leaving their Gmail.
While promising little changes to the vintage Gmail, the new Chat platform replaces hangouts with the company seeking to get ahead of the individual and group messaging queue. On the other hand, Google Room gives users, particularly groups, space to work more efficiently on projects.
The changes to Google Meet entails hosts having more control over who can join a virtual meeting. The 'Knock' feature allows the Host to keep away intruders. Additional functionality includes the advanced safety lock that enables the host to make invites over the calendar or phone.
To further enhance online meetings' security, Google recently introduced a feature where anonymous users can not join a meeting until they are logged into a Google account. Gatecrashers can no longer find their way into meetings with attended required to have an explicit invitation.
On Chat, Google has moved to prevent phishing attacks with all links sent via Google Chat, having to be scanned and flagged if deemed malicious.
With an extraordinary number of people working remotely, Google has introduced changes in G Suite aimed at keeping devices safe from cyber-attacks. In addition, Google is making it possible for G Suite administrators to preempt data losses by blocking users from accessing or reproducing sensitive documents from Google Drive.
Final Word
The race for the remote working solution providers just started in earnest. Experts are predicting a fundamental shift in the traditional office space to working from the home front. For the tech companies, the fight for a share of the remote working and collaboration pie will get even stiffer. Google and Microsoft Teams are in the driving seat.
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