The install base is probably also a factor here. That efficient video chat system will be the basis for the new combined app, with Google building Meet’s meeting link functionality into Duo and rebranding it. WhatsApp didn’t have video chat at the time, so you could use Google Duo video chat with Facebook’s WhatsApp or Google’s Allo, if you wanted.Īllo and Duo were originally focused on India, which led Duo to build a one-to-one video chat system that used little bandwidth and worked well on unstable connections. Rather than integrate video chat into the app, Google split video functionality into a separate app called Google Duo. Google lost and spent the next two years making a WhatsApp clone called Google Allo. Google and Facebook got into a $22 billion bidding war for WhatsApp two years earlier. Google Duo came out in 2016 alongside the “companion app” Google Allo as a reaction to the growth of WhatsApp. Google Meet was still locked behind a paywall during the initial months of the work-from-home era, and while it eventually became as easy to use as Zoom, it was after Zoom became a household name. Google Meet was technically created in 2017 as a group business video chat application called “Google Hangouts Meet,” but it really became a major project after Zoom’s growth exploded in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Meet and Duo video services were both built as reactions to Google’s far more stable communication competition. That means there are now two apps called “Google Meet.” Google has a help article detailing this extremely confusing situation, calling the two Meet apps “Google Meet (original): The updated Meet app” and “Google Meet: The updated Duo app.” The “Google Meet (original)” app will someday be put out to pasture it’s just sticking around while Google rebuilds the meeting functionality on top of Google Duo. ![]() So Google Duo is being rebranded to Google Meet, and the existing Google Meet app is sticking around for a bit. Ars is owned by WIRED's parent company, Condé Nast. All conversation history, contacts, and messages will continue to be saved in the app and there will be no new app to download.This story originally appeared on Ars Technica, a trusted source for technology news, tech policy analysis, reviews, and more. Later this year, we’ll rename the Duo app to Google Meet, our single video communications service across Google that is available to everyone at no-cost.Įxisting video calling features from Duo are here to stay, including the ability to make video calls to friends and family by phone number or email address, use fun filters and effects, send messages, and ask Google Assistant to call using existing devices. In the coming weeks, we’re adding all the Google Meet features to the Duo app, so users can easily schedule a video meeting at a time that works for everyone, or continue using video calling to instantly connect with a person or group. ![]() This integrated experience will provide users with a single solution for both video calling and meetings with people across their lives. Outside of video conferencing for work, we continue to see millions of people around the globe use video meetings to host game nights, parent-teacher conferences, and gatherings of their community groups.Īs part of our continued investment in helping people stay connected, and to adapt to evolving user needs, we’re upgrading the Duo experience to include all Google Meet features. We’ve also made quality and reliability improvements as well as introducing new moderation controls to help keep meetings safe and productive. ![]() This includes a more intuitive interface, virtual backgrounds and effects, live captions and features that help people feel seen and heard, like auto-light adjustments and noise cancelation. And for those using Google Meet, we’ve introduced more than 100 features and improvements since we made Meet available to everyone in 2020. For those using Duo as their cross-platform video calling app, we’ve introduced new features like group calls for up to 32 people, the addition of doodles, masks, and fun effects with family mode, and video calling on tablets, foldables, smart devices, and TVs. To support the millions of users who rely on our technology for video calls and meetings, we’ve made deep investments in both Google Duo and Google Meet. The past few years have accelerated and deepened our use of video communications to stay in touch with our friends and loved ones, learn new things, celebrate milestones, and even welcome new family members. Bringing the power of Google Meet to Google Duo users
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