Google begins Meet and Duo merger

Source: Google

Google has officially begun merging its two video chat apps into one. So, if you're seeing two Google Meet apps, you're not hallucinating. The company announced this merger in June. It plans to keep the Meet brand name while bringing the best code bases into the Google Duo app. According to Wired, we'll start seeing Duo's app and website branding swap over to Google Meet this week. As with other typical rollouts, it might come your way later than others. But Google expects to complete the rebrand by September.

For now, you will be seeing two apps labelled "Google Meet (original): The updated Meet app" and "Google Meet: The updated Duo app." Google will eventually put out the original app to pasture, but it's sticking around for now until Google develops the meeting feature on top of Google Duo.

Samsung Galaxy S22, Galaxy Tab S8, Google Pixel to support Google Duo's live sharing

Source: Google

Samsung and Google are bringing an Apple SharePlay-like experience to Android. The new Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8 devices will support a live-sharing feature in Google Duo. It will let you chat with someone while simultaneously viewing the same notes, photos, and videos. It will only work with certain apps, like YouTube, Google Maps, Samsung Notes and Gallery, and Google's Jamboard interactive whiteboard app. 

Engadget reports that these Galaxy devices and the Pixel smartphones will be the only ones to get full support for this feature. Other Android devices will only be able to join these calls instead of host them.

Google Duo might merge with Google Meet

Google has a habit of developing overlapping apps and services, especially when it comes to messaging and calls. There was a time we had Google Allo, Meet, and Duo, to name a few. Allo is already gone. But now, it seems Duo might meet the same fate. Reports claim the company might merge the two video chat apps as their features overlap more and more. And with video conferencing tools on the rise, because COVID-19 has kept a lot of us home, Google Meet is emerging as the video chat app of choice.

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Google Duo adds 32-person video chat support on the web

If you've been using Google Duo for video chat but wish it supported more people on a single call, we have some good news. Duo's latest update lets you have up to 32 people on a single video chat, which is 20 more than the last upgrade it got in March. According to Google's communication suite lead Sanaz Ahari Lemelson, the update is rolling out with the latest version of Chrome. If you're looking for a Zoom alternative, then Google's giving you one more option.