Google announced today that it is releasing a string of new social features for Google Drive which will make it even easier to work together in Drive. These features consist of one-click group chat and new profile pictures. Instead of just displaying names of other viewers, whenever a user now opens a file in Drive they’ll see profile pictures, which will make it easier to know who else is viewing the file in just a single glance.
More details about each viewer can be obtained by just hovering over the profile picture, they can also be added to Google+ from within Drive itself. Users who don’t have profile photos can select from a number of animal drawings, which includes an alligator and a monkey. Group chats can now be started in Google Drive in just a single click. At the top right there is a new chat button, clicking on it will open up a chat box from where everyone in the file can be messaged. Google says that these new features will be rolled out over the next couple of days.