Google To Merge Google Meet And Duo Into A Single Video Call App

Google Duo
Google Duo is Google’s original one-to-one video call app | Image: Google

Earlier this week, Google announced its goal to merge two of its video-calling apps, Google Duo and Google Meet, into a single platform. Google plans to migrate Google Meet’s video call app features into Duo in the coming weeks. And before this year ends, once the merge has been completed, Google’s video communication service will be called Google Meet.

Sounds confusing? Google is beefing up Duo with Meet’s features and yet, in the end, it is called Meet?

It does sound puzzling. But for Google, this is the best way forward.

The one thing we can decipher with this move by Google is that Duo, as a mobile app, had become more complex and sophisticated in terms of development. Meanwhile, Google Meet dominates as a web video call service for the company. And to make things work for both, the company will concentrate to enhance its Duo app by adding the features from Meet. In this way, Dave Citron, director of Google’s video products believes “combined forces, and no users left behind.“.

The End-goal Of Merging Google Duo and Google Meet

According to Javier Soltero, who is the head of Google Workspace:

“What’s been really important is understanding how people make the choice as to what tool they’re going to use, for what purpose, in what circumstance,”

via The Verge

With so many different chat apps available, Google wanted to make things easier and smarter for users in dealing with their everyday digital lives. The company wanted to create a one-stop video communication app service that can cater to all of our needs.

This would simply mean that whether you are going to use the video call app for personal or business, Google Meet will be available as your main tool. Whatever you are currently enjoying while using Duo, will soon be available in Meet – and vice versa.

What To Expect With The New Google Meet After The Merge

Once the merge is complete, Duo and Meet users can now enjoy both worlds. The Google Duo app will be beefed up with Meet’s features and improvements. Furthermore, Duo users do not need to download a separate video call app, Meet.

Think of it as if the Google Duo app will be upgraded and renamed. Having said that, all of the users’ contacts, conversation history, messages, etc. will still be intact.

Along with Google’s new one-stop video call app services, the following changes will be added to Duo which was only available on Meet.

  • Use custom virtual backgrounds when making video calls or attending meetings.
  • With Duo, the users can now schedule meetings with Gooogle Calendar integration. This will allow everyone to join at a time that’s convenient for them.
  • Ability to use the in-meeting chat which will allow users to type messages during the meeting or call.
  • Live share content, especially during presentations where everyone can interact.
  • From the previous limit of 32, after the merge, Meet can now have 100 participants in a call.
  • Aside from the Google Calendar, other Google products or tools can now be integrated such as Gmail, Assistant, Messages, etc. This will allow users to integrate all contacts and also enable users to make calls either through mobile numbers or email addresses.