There are times when simply typing a message isn’t the most efficient option, and that’s where voice messaging comes in to fill the void. There are many benefits to using voice messaging, especially when you’re on the go. Aside from the obvious time-saving benefits, voice messages can be extremely useful when it is important to keep the nuance and tone of your message intact. Additionally, for users with limited dexterity or vision impairment, voice messaging can be an important accessibility tool.
Although it’s a little late to the party, it’s nice to see this feature being added to chat, but Google isn’t stopping there. The company also promised that a transcription feature for voice messages would also be added and rolled out to users in the coming months. This powerful addition allows voice messages to be searched and makes them easier for users who prefer to read rather than listen.
Users can send and receive voice messages to chat messages, group chats, and spaces within the Google Chat Android and iOS apps. Receiving voice messages also works on the web, but sending via browser is not yet possible. There is also a big caveat. This is a Google Workspace feature available only to paid Enterprise users, specifically those in the Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus tiers. This makes the feature’s availability very limited, and we hope this eventually rolls out to all accounts.
The enterprise rollout will be gradual, with domains on the fast release track having the feature available as early as March 26, with two weeks before it is available to all users. The planned release track will follow on April 15th and will take the same two-week period to complete.