Google Chat and Google Meet features

Overview

Google Chat and Google Meet are the new versions of classic Google Hangouts at U-M. Team-based messaging in Google Chat and videoconferencing in Google Meet operate together seamlessly. Learn more about how Google Chat and Google Meet work together (01:30). You can also learn more about other workstream collaboration tools at U-M. This document provides a chart that outlines how Google Chat and Meet compare to classic Google Hangouts.

Google Chat and Meet compared with classic Google Hangouts

This chart outlines how Google Chat and Google Meet at U-M will improve on classic Hangouts. (Green checkmark Same feature, Missing feature Missing feature)

ACCESS & SECURITY
Classic Google Hangouts Google Chat/Google Meet

hangouts.google.com and in Gmail

Same feature chat.google.com, meet.google.com, in Gmail, and via mobile apps.

Hangouts is a Google at U-M Core Service

Same feature Google Chat and Google Meet are Google at U-M Core Services.

Mobile-friendly Improvements and new features Mobile-friendly, with some improvements.
MESSAGING
Classic Google Hangouts Google Chat
1:1 and group conversations Same feature1:1 and group messages.

External participants

Same feature While you can add external users to spaces and 1:1 messages, you cannot include external users in group messages. Refer to Chatting with external users and Chat and classic Hangouts interoperability for more information on external collaboration.
Up to 150 chat participants in a group conversation.

Improvements and new features Up to 8,000 participants in a space.

Search Hangouts history in Gmail

Improvements and new features/Missing feature Search within Chat app and at chat.google.com includes a filter by sender and attachment. You can only search 1:1 history in Gmail, not group message or space history.

 

Improvements and new features Spaces provide additional group messaging options (About spaces and group conversations).

 

Improvements and new features Threads allow separate conversations with the same people. You can follow or mute threads.

 

Improvements and new features Use bots to automate processes.

 

Improvements and new features Access Google Drive from within Chat to attach files.

 

Improvements and new features Attached Google Drive files become viewable to everyone in the space.

VIDEOCONFERENCING
Classic Google Hangouts Google Meet
1:1 and group video calls. Same feature 1:1 and group video calls.

External participants through meeting link.

Same feature External participants through meeting link/ID.
Text chat during meetings. Same feature Text chat during meetings.

Present documents or the entire screen.

Same feature Present documents or the entire screen.

Up to 25 video call participants.

Improvements and new features Up to 100 video call participants.

Schedule a meeting within Google Calendar. Improvements and new features Schedule a meeting within Google Calendar or in Google Chat using the Meet bot.
Dial-out to phone for meetings. Improvements and new features Dial-out to phone for a meeting or dial-into a meeting with a phone.
  Improvements and new features On mobile devices view high-resolution content and pinch-to-zoom.

For more information, visit Google’s documentation for their new Google Meet and Google Chat:

Also, see U-M Google documentation:

Last Updated: 
Friday, December 10, 2021