Dropbox focuses on collaboration with major app redesign

Dropbox has given its file-sharing software a major overhaul in an effort to reposition itself as a hub for workplace collaboration and productivity.

The company's aim is to combine various fragmented digital workplace tools into one place. "It's a single workspace to organize your content, connect your tools, and bring everyone together, wherever you are," the company said in a blog post Monday.

Three main components of the new Dropbox app aim to achieve this goal.

First, it combines documents from a range of sources, including Google Docs, Sheets and Slides and Microsoft Office files, making them accessible in one place. Users can create, organize and share content direct from Dropbox, the company said, while bookmark shortcuts for webpages and other SaaS tools can also be stored. There is also an improved search interface to find documents.

Second, integrations with collaboration and communication tools, including Slack and Zoom, make it easier to chat with co-workers about work under way without leaving Dropbox.

And finally, the new app will help users coordinate digital work. This means incorporating lightweight project management capabilities such as to-do lists to help keep track of work underway, mentions to assign work, and the ability to pin documents in project-specific folders. It is also possible to check progress on shared files with a new team activity feed.

The new features, which will be available online and in Dropbox's desktop app, come at no extra charge on all Dropbox plans, including the free tier.