Google combines Meet and Duo in one mobile app on one platform

Google released a big announcement today, revealing that it is combining two of its video calling apps to create a single video streaming platform, which it will call Meet. The two video platforms that will be combined include Meet and Duo. The former is a streaming video platform used to engage as many as 250 people in a single video chat. Duo is a free video chat app for iOS and Android.

Duo is leaving Google with a single video platform, which it will call Meet

Besides combining Duo and Meet, eventually Google will also remove Duo leaving Google with a single video platform, Meet. Javier Soltero, head of Google Workspace, said: “What has been really important is understanding how people make the choice of what tool they want to use, for what purpose, under what circumstances,” Meet has been used for meetings and group chat.

Meanwhile, the Duo has a lot in common with FaceTime, as it was developed for one-to-cone video chat rather than the large conferences that Meet and Zoom are used for. By integrating Meet and Duo, you can start a meeting pretty much anywhere. One benefit that the Duo has is the ability to start a video chat by simply calling someone’s phone number instead of trusting someone to click on a link or press a giant “Meet” button.

The new Google Meet home screen

As Duo and Meet become one, Duo’s mobile app will become standard, and the Duo app will be renamed Google Meet later this year. The current Meet app is becoming known as Meet Original. An update will eventually be made available to the Duo, which sends Meet features to the Duo platform.

Duo will receive these new features thanks to the update:

Customize virtual backgrounds in calls and meetings.
Schedule meetings so that everyone can attend at a time that suits them.
Use chat for the meeting to get deeper engagement.
Share content live to enable interaction with all participants in the call.
Get real-time subtitles to better support accessibility and increase participation.
Increase the size of video calls from a current limit of 32 to 100 participants.
Integrate with other tools including Gmail, Google Calendar, Assistant, Messaging and more.

Dave Citron, Product Director for Google Video Products, said: “The Duo mobile app had a lot of sophistication, especially under the bonnet and in emerging markets where network connectivity was sparse or highly variable.” Lemon says that online it is different; There’s Meet the much more advanced web platform that “creates the base for the new combined system.” But in both cases, says the Google, the idea is to combine Meet and Duo with something accessible to everyone, without any user being left out.

Meet is the obvious choice for Google to focus on for its video and voice capabilities

Workspaces Soltero says that as Meet has grown during the pandemic, it has become the more obvious choice for Google to focus on for its video and voice capabilities. Google has a lot of work ahead as it seeks to recognize which device you are using at a particular time and only sends messages to that device.

Google says, “As part of our mission to build a connected experience for all users, we & # 39; re excited to bring our video calling and conferencing technologies together in one simple, powerful, easy-to-use solution. Video communication is a major area of focus for us, and you’ll continue to see our investment in Google Meet to help people connect, collaborate, and share experiences on any device, at home, at school, and at work.

We are committed to making the transition from Duo to Meet as smooth as possible, “said Google. In 2020, Google began offering Meet for free to users and also pushed more than 100 features and enhancements out to the app.