Google Meet Tab Coming Soon to Gmail App for Android and iOS

Google Meet, the video conferencing service by Google, will be soon integrated on the Gmail app for Android and iOS. The development was announced on Tuesday, nearly a month after the company integrated Google Meet tab into the Gmail Web client. The Meet tab on the Gmail app, much like the Web version, will allow users to join or start a Meet call. Users will also be able to see upcoming Meet calls as well as have the option to schedule one with Google Calendar. Notably, Google Meet over the last few weeks has received a host of upgrades, as more people are staying indoors and spending time online amid the coronavirus pandemic.

How will the Meet tab on Gmail app work?

Google in a blog post explains that users will be able to join meetings with the Gmail Android or iOS app by tapping the Meet link in Google Calendar or through a link shared via email and Google Chat. Meet video calls in the Gmail app will work the same as the Meet app, but with some differences to the user interface, the company notes. Interestingly, users won't need the dedicated Google Meet app to start or join a video call once integration with the Gmail app is complete.

Once the user taps on the Meet link to join a call, the Gmail app will ask for permission to access the phone's microphone and camera. Following this, users can turn off/on camera and microphone during the video call, much like in the regular Meet app. Google in a separate post states that users will also have the option disable Meet tab on the Gmail app as well. This can be done by heading to Settings from the hamburger menu at the top left corner of the app > tap on your account > uncheck Meet.

When will the Meet tab on Gmail app come out?

Google has not specified the exact date of the rollout but the company says that integration will be done in the "the coming weeks." It is unclear whether Meet tab on Gmail app will be pushed out via an over-the-air (OTA) update or a server-side update.

As mentioned, the company has already integrated the Meet tab on Gmail Web client. Google has been constantly updating Google Meet with new features to rival popular video calling service provided by Zoom and Microsoft amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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