Google Duo is one of the best communication apps you’re probably not using. Not because it’s a bad product, but simply because it was late onto the messaging scene. Perhaps that will change with the expansion of its video calling capacity to 12.
The announcement came in a tweet from Sanaz Ahari, Senior Director of Product & Design at Google.
We are grateful that Duo is helping users see their loved ones all around the world. We recognize group calling is particularly critical right now. We have increased group calling from 8 participants to 12 effective today. More to come. #AllInThisTogether #COVID19
— Sanaz (@sanazahari) March 27, 2020
Google Duo is a very simple implementation of video calling for a single participant or multiple. To create a call group all you need to do is swipe up on the home screen, select create group, tag your friends and initiate the call.
It’s another step from Google, to help users who are isolated to continue feeling connected to their friends and family. The tweet from Ahari sites “more to come” which will be interesting to see what Google does next.
I love Google Duo. You don’t have to create an account, your phone number is your account number. Once you download the app you can make video calls directly from your phone contacts. It is so simple to use, though this means there are very few options in settings also. But if all you want is to video call someone, this is your app.
Rooms that people can drop in and out of is the feature I most want to see.
Families and friends could agree to meet for a specific hour and people could join and leave the room as they need to.