Note: “Classic” Google Hangouts is meant for consumer, non-enterprise Google users. Google Hangouts Meet and Chat are available for G Suite Enterprise users only.
Note: Google Hangouts Chat is currently not enabled for University of Michigan users. At a later date, UM-ITS will communicate its release.
Hangouts Meet
Hangouts Meet makes it easier to join a multi-person video call at work. Setting up and sharing a link with attendees is quicker.
With Hangouts Meet, you can opt-in using the Chrome and Firefox web browsers to try the service out. Currently, functionality is limited to Chrome and Firefox, but other web browsers will be rolled out at a later date.
| "Classic" Google Hangouts | Google Hangouts Meet | |
|---|---|---|
| Website URL | hangouts.google.com | meet.google.com |
| Requirements to use | Anyone with a Google account. | Restricted to G Suite Enterprise users only. |
| Text chat during meetings | Yes, up to 150 participants. | No, text chat is only available in Hangouts Chat. |
| Number of attendees |
Up to 25 participants for a video call. Up to 150 participants for chat. |
Up to 50 participants for a video call. |
| Scheduling a meeting | Create a meeting within Google Calendar, Gmail, the Chrome extension, group conversation, or mobile device app. | Book appointments within Google Calendar. |
| Dial-in with a phone to a meeting | Dial-out phone invites only. | An auto-suggested phone number in Google Calendar/Meet. Tap twice to join a meeting by dial-in phone. |
Hangouts Chat
Hangouts Chat helps teams get things done by providing a central place to discuss specific topics. Hangouts Chat is more structured than direct chat and more immediate than email. Chat enables high-performing teams to communicate effectively and streamline their decision making.
Everything in Hangouts Chat is organized into conversations. Instead of posting new chat messages as follow-ups to things posted earlier, a user can reply directly to older conversations or start new conversations when they have something new to talk about. In addition, a user can message individuals for one-to-one chats.
Sharing in Hangouts Chat
From within a Chat, a user can:
- Share attachments like documents, photos, and files.
- Share a Google document like Google Docs, Slides, or Sheets. Chat will automatically update the sharing settings to make sure everyone in the user’s team conversation can view it.
- Schedule and manage calendar appointments.
- Search for older chats and messages by filtering. For example, look for specific documents shared like Google Docs, Slides, or Sheets.
For more information, visit Google’s documentation for their new Hangouts Meet and Chat: