Google Chat breaks down walls, but at a price?

Calling all multi-platform communicators! Google Chat recently introduced a new version that can understand the languages of other chat applications like Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing users to chat with their friends across different chat platforms directly through Google Chat. Finally, there’s the much-needed Live Chat feature, which is a part of the final stable version that takes Google Chat into a versatile conversation space. Along the way, you can stop by a help desk that asks you to stop and pay. Will force. Toll before going further.

Google dropped the ball on interoperability, especially when it comes to Gmail and Docs queries, as most of them rely on a third-party solution, called Mio. This implies that you will need a Mio license to connect to all platforms, rendering the cost conundrum as undefined. However, Mio does not specify whether the pricing model will vary depending on the size and needs of your organization or whether the pricing is the same for all organizations. In contrast, Google and Mio have not provided any detailed information regarding their pricing structure.

So, why privacy? Probably, feeling efficient isn’t the only reason to Google. The fact that regulators around the world are tearing apart tech giants notorious for their “walled garden” ecosystems based on their anti-competitive behavior is no hearsay. And, Google can now check chat openings to avoid such legitimate extensions.

On the other hand, it seems that other major competitors like Microsoft, Slack, and Zoom are already monitoring these changing regulatory winds. Some people have not taken advantage of the current situation and have let loose their own platforms. Their actions could be construed as an attempt to raise the matter and make their regulators change their minds before implementing measures.

Google Chat interoperability is the most exciting yet, but the potential Mio Paywall plays a trick on open communication. We hope Google makes this clear as pricing can be significant and their intentions in introducing this option may be strange.