Google is about to simplify its communication services. Company they plan to merge Duo and Meet, two different video calling apps, into a single platform. Starting in the next few weeks, Google will begin adding Meet features to Duo. Once that happens, you’ll be able to use the app, which up until this point has been primarily designed for personal video calls, to schedule meetings. Other features coming to Duo include support Live content sharing and in-meeting text chat.
At the same time, Google promises the features Duo users know and love, like the ability to apply filters and effects to your calls, aren’t going anywhere. In addition, your call history, contacts and messages will not disappear from the application. It’s all about Google’s commitment to “carefully” integrating the two platforms and making sure it supports as many users as possible.
Once that process is complete, Google will rename the mobile versions of both apps, with Duo becoming Meet and the current Meet becoming Meet Original. The company told it plans to eventually be deprecated. If all of that sounds confusing, there’s a good reason for Google’s approach. The company says it’s built a lot of sophistication into its Duo mobile app, and it doesn’t look like Google wants to give up that work.
As for the reason Google merged the two apps, the company believes that doing so will ultimately benefit users. A company spokesperson told Engadget: “Over the past few years, Duo and Meet have continued to evolve with the growing demands of video calls and meetings. Of course, the hard part for Google will be finding a way to integrate the two apps without making the resulting service feel overwhelming. Many people love Duo for its simplicity, and the sudden appearance of new features and added complexity may prompt them to look elsewhere.
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