Today, Google announced Currents will be the name of the new Google+ app for Enterprise. Not to be confused with the “Currents” app it killed in 2014.
This brand new application targets leaders and employers who need to communicate with their staff. Currents ultimately connects people to content. A workplace is often full of ideas and communication, and Currents is designed to make this process easier for both parties. Both employers and employees can post, tag, and comment; making communication of ideas easier than ever. Posts made on the Currents app are archived for future review and those who post can track analytics and responses with ease. The G Suite team has also built in the ability for admins to streamline certain posts by relevance in order to simplify which posts take priority.
This new announcement from Google is not surprisingly motivated by the company’s choice to shut down Google Plus. The previous social platform was never extremely popular, let alone on the same level as Facebook and Instagram. Users had many complaints about it, and Google itself even acknowledged the problems with it.
Rather than revamp Google Plus, Google has decided to launch a completely new application with brand new features and a clean design. This move is clever as it doesn’t necessarily carry any stigma that might remain from Google Plus. The difference with Currents, however, is the new marketing strategy. Based on the official announcement, this new app is targeted at employers and communication within the workplace, rather than being an alternative to other social media giants. With the niche of workplace communication, Currents has the potential to be what Google Plus never could.
Facebook and Instagram are apps meant for sharing photos, videos, and updates from a user’s life. Currents won’t have to compete with this since it isn’t marketed in the same way. Google likely did this purposely with hopes of launching a successful app that could satisfy all its users.
The announcement of Currents could mean more for the future of G Suite as well. For any avid android user, this agglomeration of software is the home for many frequently used apps such as Gmail, Drive, Docs, and more. For anyone who doesn’t use an iPhone, G suite is as close as one can get to sync all of his or her information into one software. Apple has been praised for this in the past, and it looks like Google is continuing its push against the competition.
Much of Google’s recent marketing has been aimed at Apple users, and if the company continues to improve the software that makes up the Google ecosystem, the company might have a better angle at actually gaining some of Apple’s dedicated audience. While Currents is not an app that everyone will take advantage of, it is a step in the right direction in terms of increasing user experience. If Google can maintain its fight against Apple with both products and software, there’s no telling how much of an impact can be made in favor of Android.