Google Developing New ‘Unified’ Communications App for Businesses

Google is working on a mobile application for businesses that brings together the functions of several standalone apps the company already offers, including Gmail and its online storage service Drive. The move could help it compete more effectively with application suites from Microsoft and others, according to two people who have used the application and three people briefed about it.

The new mobile app, which is currently being tested internally at Google, also includes Hangouts Meet, Google’s video conferencing app and Hangouts Chat, a real-time message app, according to the people. Thomas Kurian, the CEO of Google’s cloud unit, discussed the new app at a conference held in mid-January for the unit’s salespeople and business partners, according to two of the people. The new app is expected to be part of G Suite, the collection of online productivity software that is overseen by the cloud unit, known as Google Cloud.