Google Beam will expand its existing availability to five new countries, making it available to customers in a total of six countries. Distribution will be carried out through 18 channel partners that can install and support the product, using HP’s “HP Dimension with Google Beam” hardware.
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- France
- Germany
- Japan
Integrated with Google Meet and Zoom, Beam uses specialized hardware to make video calls feel more like face-to-face communication. In an eight-week internal study at Google, teams using Beam felt 50% more connected to one another; found it 33% easier to ensure that feedback was understood correctly; and reported a 21% reduction in the need for follow-up meetings. The technology was also tested for use in hiring, talent development and collaboration between different teams.
In a study conducted with Bain and Company, Google said the system helped establish face-to-face connections in campus recruiting and candidate interviews without requiring extensive travel. Netflix and Capital Group are among the first customers to use the technology.
To bring Google Beam to more organizations, a partnership was formed with global flexible workspace operator Industrious, creating the first expanded network. In the pilot program, distributed teams used the system for executive meetings, interviews and customer consultations. Starting in October, HP Dimension with Google Beam will be available for reservation and use at select Industrious locations in the United States:
- Atlanta
- Chicago
- New York City
- Palo Alto
Why it matters
The wider adoption of Beam means opening up to more organizations an infrastructure alternative to face-to-face interaction for remote-working teams, recruitment processes and customer meetings. However, since access depends on channel partners that can install and support the product, as well as specialized hardware, the scope of its use will depend not only on software adoption but also on the availability of physical installations. Although the company’s eight-week internal findings point to positive results in terms of communication and meeting efficiency, it remains unclear whether these results will be replicated across different organizations and working styles. The experience to be offered through Industrious may provide an option for organizations that want to try the technology without purchasing it; however, the extent to which this will translate into sustained use is not yet known.