Tapping a “Chat” opens that conversation in the bottom-right corner of your screen. They are shown by default, but can be quickly hidden by clicking the chevron. This manifests as a bottom bar with four tabs on Android, while the Gmail sidebar on the web is split into four sections. “Chat” is where you can message individual and small groups, while “Rooms” - like their Slack equivalents - are dedicated to larger conversations with shared chat, files, and tasks. “Mail” and “Meet” have been in place for the past few months. Since you’re likely to have Gmail open on desktop, that’s where Google is integrating everything. Original 4/4: This merger comes as Google wants to make Gmail your new “home for work.” The goal is to let users get everything done in one page without having to keep switching between other tabs.
This capability went live sometime in the past month for iPhone and iPad. Update 5/12: The new Gmail with access to Chat and Rooms is now available on iOS for free Google Accounts.
