SaaS Updates Summary: May 14 – May 18

Greetings! The big news of the week: Microsoft unveiled the new Surface Hub 2, which has a 50.5-inch 4K display with a rotating mount. Coming in 2019, it’s been called “amazing” and “a bold attempt at changing how we work.” In other news, Gmail will now “nudge” you to respond to emails you may have missed, and Google is making Admin Quarantine easier, quicker, and safer for admins. Google also introduced data export, a new feature that lets you export and download a copy of your data securely from G Suite services.

Zendesk introduced the Zendesk Suite, which bundles Zendesk Support, Guide, Chat, and Talk into a single omnichannel solution. It also introduced Connect, a new product to automate and scale proactive support. Okta released the Okta Product Roadmap, now Generally Available to all.

Read below for more details.

Gmail Will Now Remind You to Respond
G Suite Updates | When your inbox is flooded with emails, some will inevitably slip through the cracks. Luckily, the new Gmail can help. It will now “nudge” users to reply to emails they may have missed and to follow up on emails for which they haven’t received a response.

Export All Your G Suite Data in One Step
G Suite Updates | Google is introducing data export, a new feature to make it even easier to export and download a copy of your data securely from our G Suite services.

6 Ways Quizzes in Google Forms Are Getting Smarter
The Keyword | Google is announcing six new features based on valuable feedback from teachers and designed to help educators continue using Quizzes in Google Forms in creative ways.

Amazon Connect + Freshdesk Integration
Freshdesk Blog | In keeping with their belief that businesses deserve support tools that are powerful and help to resolve customer queries more quickly and efficiently, Freshdesk has integrated their helpdesk software with Amazon Connect, Amazon Web Services (AWS)’s cloud-based contact center service.

Twelve Third-Party Applications Added to the G Suite Pre-Integrated SAML Apps Catalog
G Suite Updates | Google is adding SAML integration for 12 additional applications: Black Duck, Brightcove, Chartio, Duo, Hootsuite, Jenkins, Jostle, Mango Apps, SumTotal, TextMagic, Veracode, and Zinc.

Unlocking the Power of the Team With Surface Hub 2
Microsoft 365 Blog | Microsoft is previewing the new Surface Hub 2, built from the ground up with Microsoft Teams in mind. More flexible and powerful than its predecessor, the Surface Hub 2 is designed to fit any workspace or work style.

Making Admin Quarantine Easier, Quicker, And Safer
G Suite Updates | Admin Quarantine helps your organization prevent spam, minimize data loss, and protect confidential information. G Suite admins can set up and manage quarantine policies to divert emails that pose a risk before they’re sent or delivered. They can then review those emails and take appropriate action to protect their organization and its data.

Check Out the Most Recent G Suite Launches
G Suite Updates | Last year, Google introduced a new resource for admins: What’s new in G Suite? Don’t forget to visit the page regularly for a list of the most recent launches across G Suite.

Using Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credentials to Enable Passwordless Authentication
Okta Blog | At Okta, they endeavor to connect you to everything that matters, securely, and seamlessly. They are happy to announce that they now support support PIV Authentication to make this even easier. Now, end users of federal customers can use their PIV cards already issued to them to authenticate to any app integrated with Okta.

Introducing The Zendesk Suite
Zendesk Blog | Zendesk is proud to announce its newest arrival—The Zendesk Suite. The Suite, as they call it for short, bundles Zendesk Support, Guide, Chat, and Talk into a single omnichannel solution that’s easy to try, buy, and set up, all at a great price.

Meet Connect: A New Product to Automate and Scale Proactive Support
Zendesk Blog | With Connect, support teams can orchestrate and scale satisfying customer experiences throughout the customer journey in three ways: anticipate and prevent tickets, follow up at scale, and grow and retain.

Introducing the Okta Product Roadmap & Feature Manager
Okta Blog | Building on their recent success of the new Trust Dashboard, Okta continues to expand transparency to customers with the release of the Okta Product Roadmap, now Generally Available to all.

For last week’s SaaS updates (and beyond), click here for our archive.