Google Chat finally gets voice message support, but with a big caveat،
Sometimes typing a message just isn't the most effective option, and that's where voice messages have come to fill that gap. Using voice messages, especially when traveling, has several advantages. Aside from the obvious time-saving benefits, voice messages can also be extremely useful when it's important to keep the nuance and tone of the message intact. Additionally, for users with limited dexterity or visual impairments, voice prompts can be a crucial accessibility tool.
Although a little late to the party, it's good to see this feature added to chat, but Google isn't stopping there. The company also promises that voicemail transcription will also be added and rolled out to users in the coming months. This powerful addition will make voice messages searchable and enable easier consumption by users who prefer to read rather than listen.
Users will be able to send and receive voice messages to direct messages, group chats, and spaces within the Google Chat apps for Android and iOS. The ability to receive voice messages will also work on the web, but sending will not yet be possible via a browser. There's also a huge caveat: This is a Google Workspace feature that will only be available to paid Enterprise users, specifically those in the Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus tiers. This makes availability of the feature very limited, and we hope this will eventually trickle down to all accounts.
The enterprise rollout will be gradual, with domains on the Rapid Release track benefiting from the feature as early as March 26, with a two-week window before it reaches all users. The scheduled release will follow on April 15, with the same two-week window until completion.
