G Suite, Google’s cloud computing, productivity and collaboration platform now has 2 billion active users as the company looks to better compete with Microsoft.
The news comes from an Axios interview with Javier Soltero, vice president and general manager of G Suite. However, Soltero didn’t say how any are paid users and how many user G Suite products other than Gmail.
Those other products include Google Docs, Google Sheets, Hangouts, Meet and other enterprise apps common in many offices and across organizations.
“That’s a staggering number,” Soltero told Axios. “These products have incredible reach. Changing the way people work is something we are uniquely positioned to do.”
Google is steadily gaining on Microsoft and is now the main rival to Microsoft Office 365, but Microsoft still has a stronghold on the commercial market.
Google said it had four million businesses using G Suite in 2018 when it raised prices at the beginning of 2019, ZDNet reported. Microsoft reported 200 million commercial monthly active users in 2019.
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Here’s more from Axios:
Driving the news: Soltero, who joined Google from Microsoft last year, said his focus has been on doubling down on features that make G Suite unique, like its robust search, conversation focus in Gmail and built-in collaboration.
Once a startup CEO himself — he sold mobile email app Accompli to Microsoft — Soltero now touts the benefits of going with an established player, rather than some company that might not even be around a year from now.
Yes, but: The presence of so many startups out there shows there is more work to be done, Soltero said. “This is not a solved problem. Nobody has run the table on communication and collaboration.”
- As for what distinguishes Google from Microsoft, Soltero pointed to its Silicon Valley culture: “I don’t feel the need to be quite as outspoken here,” Soltero said. “People do a lot more self-examination here, which is great.”
What’s next: Soltero said to expect the “smart compose” feature — which suggests email replies, for instance, based on the content of the message — to expand beyond Gmail and Docs. The feature, he said, should go everywhere it is prudent to do so.
He also sees room for improvement in better integrating the separate apps. “I think we still have work to do,” Soltero said.
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