Google is preparing a major update to the tablet versions of Workspace apps. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides will have a new side toolbar to make it easier and faster to format documents.
The new toolbar for Google’s productivity apps will be rolling out to all users starting March 6, 2024. At this time, the new feature is only available to a small group of select Workspace users.
Based on the Material Design 3 look, the new Google Docs toolbar makes it easier to access formatting options. This way, users will be able to quickly adjust the font, text size, alignment, line spacing, and other details of the document.
According to Google, the app’s sidebar will use the screen space of tablets efficiently. Then, people will be able to write a text and access the formatting options simultaneously.
The Slides app has also made it simple to replace the background of your slides. Instead of going through several steps to change the background, users can now simply drag and drop the image to have a personalized slide.
Google Workspace with AI capabilities
Google plans to add new artificial intelligence (AI) features to Workspace apps. Tools for creating texts, such as “Help Me Write”, are being tested in Google Docs by beta users of Google Labs and are expected to reach the general public in the coming months.
It is worth mentioning that Google recently released Gemini 1.5, an AI model designed for longer contextual uses. Among them, writing texts, creating programming codes, generating images from text, and video processing.
Adding generative AI capabilities to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides should contribute to people’s productivity. However, there are no details on whether the tools will be available to all users or only Google One subscribers.