Earlier last month, Google announced that Duo would become Meet and add all of its features over the coming months. Google Duo’s Meet merger is now beginning its rollout on Android.
After updating to the latest version (169.0.459621665.duo.android_20220612.16_p6), a handful of users see a “Duo just got better” card right below the search box. This is far from a wide rollout. Google links to this support article to learn more.
Your Duo app becomes Meet with a new name and icon, plus more features like background effects
After tapping the FAB (Floating Action Button) that drops “Call” and just says “New,” you now have the options of “Create a new meeting” and “Schedule in Google Calendar,” borrowed from Google Meet.
The latter is something Google says consumers are increasingly striving for, while enterprise users want more instant, one-click calls. A tap essentially opens the Google Calendar creation experience with a pre-filled Meet URL.
Meanwhile, “Create new meeting” gives a meet.google.com link with options to copy, share, and join meeting. This meeting will appear on the streamlined home screen under the new Meetings section, which also lists any scheduled events from your calendar.
Before starting a meeting with the new app, Google displays a privacy page that indicates the move away from end-to-end encryption (E2EE). [Update: Google says 1:1 calls and group video that you start by ringing directly still “uses end-to-end encryption to mask data with a code that only you and the other callers have access to.” However, “Meet Meetings in the Duo app” that are accessed via links leverage “cloud-encryption measures.”]
- Meet uses cloud encryption to keep your conversations private. Unlike end-to-end encryption, cloud encryption allows you to enjoy more features like chat and live captions.
- Your Google account name and pronouns will be shown to others in a call.
- People you’ve previously blocked in Duo can join calls in Meet.
We have received one report of this launch so far. Google has previously told us that the merger will be closely monitored so users aren’t left behind or see a drop in quality. What happens today when Duo gets existing Meet features is Phase 1. This includes virtual backgrounds, text chat in meetings, real-time closed captioning, and up to 100 (out of 32) participants.
The next step is to rename the Duo app to Google Meet using that existing icon/branding. This change will come later in the year.
More on Google Duo Meet:
Thank you Jondan!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Visit 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: