• Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Google intensified its competition with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) by showcasing multiple Workspace productivity suite updates, including new features for free users, a paid plan for entrepreneurs, and new capabilities for its Meet videoconferencing system to compete with Zoom Video Communications Inc (NASDAQ: ZM), Bloomberg reports.

• Google extended premium features of the software to small businesses, upgraded Meet for a hybrid work future under Workspace Individual for entrepreneurs.

• Google opened up its Chat service to nonpaid users to catch up with Microsoft's Teams and Slack Technologies Inc (NYSE: WORK).

• Google's messaging service "Rooms" will be replaced by "Spaces" this summer, where groups of users can email, instant message, begin a Meet call and collaborate on documents and spreadsheets.

• Workspace Individual added personalized email marketing, smart booking services at a monthly subscription of $9.99 a month.

• Meet will initiate a "Companion Mode" from September to let workers attend videoconferences through a second device to help them participate in polls, chats, and question-and-answer sessions.

• Google incorporated customers' client-side encryption unreadable to Google and others for extended data protection.

• Workspace Individual will launch soon in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Japan, Reuters reports.

• The initiatives aim to diversify Google's advertising revenue base, including search, Maps, and YouTube services. Google sought to capitalize on its free-of-cost Workspace users into more subscription revenue from small businesses and large enterprises.

• Price action: GOOG shares traded higher by 0.44% at $2,525 in the premarket session on the last check Monday.

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