Google Duo adds more video conferencing features to take on Zoom

Google Duo has added a lot of features including Family Mode and increasing the number of participants in a group chat to get some of the market share captured by Zoom video calling and conferencing app.

Google made an announcement in a blog post that Duo will get a Family Mode where users will be enabled to masks and filters to attract kids. In the family mode, the mute and hang-up buttons will hide automatically which it seemed to be introduced for stopping the youngsters to accidentally hit them.

 

According to Google, the same video filters and others effects will also be available to one-to-one Duo calls on Andriod and iOS.

The video calling and conferencing solutions are now becoming a necessity amid coronavirus pandemic where everyone is seeking to be connected with work, family and friends.

The new features have arrived in a huge upgrade of Google Duo a few weeks ago which has also introduced snapshots and improved call quality with its new video codec technology.

Users of Google Duo will see the increased number of participants in group calls up to 12 while the company promised to advance it to 32 in the coming weeks.

Six-person square grid view is the new layout added in the app. To make getting together easier, you’ll also be able to invite anyone with a Google account to join a group call with just a link.

The company will provide a browser-based solution on Goggle Chrome for its users on the web for group calls.

Google Duo Product Manager Humberto Castaneda said in its post, “Our new family mode lets you doodle on video calls for everyone to see and also surprise them with fun effects and masks that transform you into astronauts, cats and more.”

“This new family mode is available when signed into Duo with your Google account. As always, calls on Duo are end-to-end encrypted and stay private between you and your loved ones.”