Alexis Kestler
Hey there! As a Google Workspace power user myself, I‘ve got some really cool updates to share about new features and capabilities launching across Meet and Workspace apps. Read on for my in-depth take as a tech geek!
Google Meet Now Supports 1080p HD Video Calls
In their biggest video quality upgrade yet, Google recently announced that their Meet platform will now support crystal clear Full HD 1080p video calling [1].
Previously, Meet video calls maxed out at 720p HD resolution. The jump to 1080p is a huge boost – here‘s why high-def video matters:
- Sharpens clarity for faces and expressions
- Reduces pixelation and compression artifacts
- Improves visibility of on-screen shared content
- Enhances realism to feel more "in-person"
For context, here‘s how the most popular video platforms compare for maximum resolution:
| Platform | Max Resolution |
|---|---|
| Google Meet | 1080p HD |
| Zoom | 1080p HD |
| Microsoft Teams | 1080p HD |
| FaceTime | 1080p HD |
| Skype | 720p HD |
As you can see above, Meet now matches or exceeds the rest when it comes to crisp high-definition video. This brings it up to par with top competitors Zoom and Teams which already offered 1080p.
But who exactly can enable 1080p calls in Google Meet?
According to Google [1], 1080p is currently only available to selected paid Workspace subscribers, including:
- Google Workspace Standard and Enterprise ($12 or $18 per user/month)
- Legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers
- Education and Frontline Workspace plans
1080p also comes with a Google One 2TB+ plan ($9.99+ per month). Unfortunately those with free personal Google accounts don‘t get access yet.
For enabled users, 1080p won‘t turn on automatically – you have to dig into your Meeting settings and toggle it on:
- Click the 3 dot menu ⋮ next to your self-view video feed
- Select "Turn on HD" to enable 1080p
This allows you to turn high-def video off to save bandwidth as needed.
Based on reported data, Google Meet grew from having 10 million daily meeting participants in 2019 to 235 million in 2025. For organizations relying on Meet for communication, 1080p upgrades the experience at a crucial time when remote work is mainstream.
Higher video quality leads to better engagement on calls, allowing clearer body language and facial cues. As a frequent video caller myself, I‘m thrilled Google Meet finally matches its competitors in enabling true HD. This brings it one step closer to replicating that in-person feel!
Smarter Toolbar to Boost Google Workspace Productivity
In their latest Workspace update, Google also previewed a handy new Enhanced toolbar feature that will be a total game-changer for Docs, Sheets and Slides users [2].
This AI-powered toolbar aims to supercharge efficiency by intelligently suggesting relevant tools based on your real-time activity. Here‘s how it works:
As you navigate and edit documents, spreadsheets or presentations, Google employs AI behind-the-scenes to track your usage patterns and behaviors. Based on your actions, it then surfaces tool recommendations likely to be helpful at that moment.
For example, say you copy and paste rows in Sheets – it may suggest handy options like Insert rows or Merge cells. Or if you bold text in Docs, it will prompt Text formatting.
Some examples of context-aware tools it can suggest:
Docs:
- Text formatting, Line spacing, Page setup
- Insert table, comment, link
- Voice typing, Hyperlink
Sheets:
- Freeze rows/columns, Sort, Filter
- Data validation, Conditional formatting
- Insert/delete rows/columns
- Create dropdown, Protected range
Slides:
- Insert shape, table, SmartArt
- Edit theme, Change background
- Presenter notes, Audience Q&A
Previously, locating the right tool required digging through buried menus and submenus. This smart toolbar eliminates that pain by putting them right at your fingertips.
Based on Google‘s own research [2], the toolbar cuts task completion time by an average of 8 seconds, with a high of 15 seconds for commonly used actions. Scaled across millions of Workspace users, those time savings really add up!
As a Workspace power user myself, I find the cluttered menus frustrating at times. So I‘m pumped to try this toolbar when it starts rolling out on May 25, 2023. I predict it will become one of my favorite new features!
The enhanced toolbar serves up that perfect combo of machine learning and human-centered design. By understanding context and adapting to each user, it provides a productivity boost Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides sorely needed.
Runway‘s Mind-Bending AI Video Generation App
Beyond Workspace upgrades, another exciting development comes from AI startup Runway and their new iOS app for generating videos with AI [3].
Dubbed Gen-1, their video-to-video AI lets users transform regular short videos from their camera roll into trippy, surreal creations dictated by text or image prompts.
You simply record or select a 15-second video, then Runway‘s AI works its magic using any description you provide:
- "Lava world" – Visualizes your video as a flowing lava landscape
- "Underwater" – Renders an underwater ocean dreamscape
- "Van Gogh" – Stylizes everything into a Van Gogh painting
The AI generates refreshingly unexpected results each time. In addition to text prompts, you can guide the video mutation using Runway‘s built-in effects:
- Claymation – Reshape footage into an animated claymation film
- Charcoal – Redraw scenes as a hand-sketched charcoal painting
- Watercolor – Abstract the visuals into a fluid watercolor art style
- Origami – Fold the reality into an origami craft world
Unlike traditional video filters, the AI isn‘t just overlaying predefined effects. It‘s actively reimagining the entire scene based on your creative guidance. The results have an ethereal, almost psychedelic quality.
Powering this mobile app is generative video AI technology that didn‘t even exist just a short time ago! It‘s a testament to the rapid pace of innovation in synthetic media and deep learning.
Runway also offers Stable Diffusion for AI-generated images. But this new app represents their first foray into next-gen edited video content enhanced by neural networks.
The company says Gen-2 is already underway, promising support for lengthier videos and additional capabilities. This initial launch provides a glimpse into the future of AI-assisted video creation tools.
As a content creator always looking for fresh inspiration, I‘m awestruck by Runway‘s technology. It empowers anyone to experiment with vivid video styles far beyond traditional editing software. The TikTok generation will eat this up!
Closing Thoughts
From HD video meetings to smarter workflows and mind-blowing generative video, it‘s been an epic month for new tech capabilities. These innovations solve real pain points and pave the way for more human-centric tools.
The pace of advancement in collaborative software and AI is only accelerating. And I for one couldn‘t be more excited! As a cloud collaboration analyst and evangelist, I live and breathe this stuff.
Hope you enjoyed my deep dive analysis through the lens of a true tech nerd. If you want to stay on the bleeding edge of the latest capabilities, be sure to check out my Latest Tech category.
Let me know which update you‘re most excited by – I‘d love to hear your take!
Sources:
[1] https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/04/full-hd-in-google-meet-video-calls.html[2] https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/04/enhancing-tool-discovery-google-docs-sheets-slides%20.html
[3] https://runwayml.com/blog/runway-raises-50-series-c/
