Just like Skype did last month, Google Hangouts opens the door to guest access, and allows people to join in on conversations whether they have a Google+ account or not. The tech giant means to make meetings go a lot more smoother. According to product manager, Patrick Wynn, it should be easy for anyone to join a meeting.
In fact, it’s as easy as walking into a room, and their aim is to bring the same option for their users. Or their non-users, as it seems.
Just one account is enough
Hangouts will no longer require everyone in a conversation to have an account. As long as the ‘host’ has one, anyone else could be easily invited. They will receive their invitation through an unique link from the Hangouts user, to be received via their Google Calendar. One click later, a quick accept to confirm from the ‘host’, and then you’re in.
It sounds strikingly familiar to what Skype did for their own service. Users may simply be invited into a conversation, be it chat or voice. There will be “no filling of forms, no need for a Google account, just simple, easy access to meetings”. And everything will be secure. According to Google, it will also offer full control to the host, and security.
The tech giant meant for this to be perfect application for discussing sensitive issues as well, such as new products or thoughts with a new customer. This will work whether you’re using the web app, the mobile app, or Chromebox. Just one of the participants need to have Hangouts, and the rest could be invited without it.
This is after Hangouts has made itself available for enterprises back in July, 2014. It transitioned from a social media platform to being a legitimate business app. There is no need to keep the Google Mail account open, or log in. According Ezra Gottheil, who is an analyst for Technology Business Reach, this will be “very helpful”.
Besides, video chatting is become increasingly common. Both Google and Microsoft are already in the works to making it an even more frequently used means of communication. All types of managing a meeting are important. This becomes even more vital when face-to-face conversations are not always available yet necessary.
Technology is doing its best effort to close that gap of distance and time. Google Hangouts is just one of the many who is edging in on building that bridge. To do this, they have switched their requirement of a Google+ account from ‘necessary’ to ‘optional’.
Image source: heraldvoice.com
