According to a recent published by 9to5Google, Google plans to phase out its FaceTime rival, Google Duo, in favor of the video calling application, Google Meet. 9to5Google stated that, the company will eventually replace Google Duo with Google Meet.
Back in May, Google placed Messages, Duo, and the Phone app on Android under the leadership of VP and GM of G Suite, Javier Soltero, and he announced to employees that it doesn’t make sense that Google Duo and Meet should coexist. According to the report, Javier Soltero is spearheading an initiative called Duet, a merger of the two services - Duo and Meet. Some features of Duo will be integrated into Google Meet such as end-to-end encryption, contacting people for a video call via mobile number, and 3D effects.
This new direction came as a surprise to the Duo team. Four years ago, Google introduced Duo in 2016, and the service has been getting new features such as the ability to send story-Esque audio as well as video messages and group calling. According to the report, sources made clear to 9to5Google that at the end of this merge, Google Duo will phase out.
Sources also told 9to5Google that interest in Duo has waned while Meet usage has skyrocketed during the last few months. Google Meet has become a go-to option for students, teachers, and employees working from home, and merging both services will allow the company to focus on one, feature-rich video service. According to the report, the company expects the transition to happen over the upcoming few years, and the company will continue to operate Google Duo as many key Duo features are added to Google Meet until the replacement happens.
When Google was requested for a comment, the company stated that it is fully invested in Google Duo, and Duo has seen astonishing growth during the coronavirus lockdowns. Individuals across the world are relying on video conversation more than ever and the company has no plans to interrupt that. Moreover, the company also stated that it will continue to invest in creating new Duo features.
Recently, Google Meet was integrated into Gmail, and the company has added several new features into Meet as the company looks to compete with the popular video calling app, Zoom. In April, the company reported that the daily usage of Google Meet grew 30x with nearly 3 million new users each day.
Read next: Google adds New Features in Search to Help People Easily Find Live TV Shows and Sports
Back in May, Google placed Messages, Duo, and the Phone app on Android under the leadership of VP and GM of G Suite, Javier Soltero, and he announced to employees that it doesn’t make sense that Google Duo and Meet should coexist. According to the report, Javier Soltero is spearheading an initiative called Duet, a merger of the two services - Duo and Meet. Some features of Duo will be integrated into Google Meet such as end-to-end encryption, contacting people for a video call via mobile number, and 3D effects.
This new direction came as a surprise to the Duo team. Four years ago, Google introduced Duo in 2016, and the service has been getting new features such as the ability to send story-Esque audio as well as video messages and group calling. According to the report, sources made clear to 9to5Google that at the end of this merge, Google Duo will phase out.
Sources also told 9to5Google that interest in Duo has waned while Meet usage has skyrocketed during the last few months. Google Meet has become a go-to option for students, teachers, and employees working from home, and merging both services will allow the company to focus on one, feature-rich video service. According to the report, the company expects the transition to happen over the upcoming few years, and the company will continue to operate Google Duo as many key Duo features are added to Google Meet until the replacement happens.
When Google was requested for a comment, the company stated that it is fully invested in Google Duo, and Duo has seen astonishing growth during the coronavirus lockdowns. Individuals across the world are relying on video conversation more than ever and the company has no plans to interrupt that. Moreover, the company also stated that it will continue to invest in creating new Duo features.
Recently, Google Meet was integrated into Gmail, and the company has added several new features into Meet as the company looks to compete with the popular video calling app, Zoom. In April, the company reported that the daily usage of Google Meet grew 30x with nearly 3 million new users each day.
Read next: Google adds New Features in Search to Help People Easily Find Live TV Shows and Sports
