Google has released their new application called Duo which is a 1-to-1 video calling app made for Android and iOS.
Google Duo features a simple interface and only requires a phone number and it will allow you to reach people in your phone’s contacts list, granted they have the app installed as well. The app also claims to be fast and reliable and will be able to work well on slower networks. If bandwidth is limited, it will reduce the resolution to keep the call going smoothly.
How about chat?
While Google Duo is dedicated for video calls, Google already has a separate app for that called Allo which features a Google assistant, Smart reply, Ink for doodling on messages, as well as Stickers.
What happens to Hangouts?
It might feel redundant having two seperate apps for video calling and chatting when Google already has Hangouts for that, but according to Engadget’s interview with Google’s VP of communication products, Nick Fox, he said that Hangouts will be shifted to the enterprise as it is heavily integrated with Google accounts (unlike Duo and Allo) and other Google productivity apps.
Google Duo is currently rolling out. You can check for local availability by visiting the Play Store or the App Store.
source: Google
let’s see how this would fair with imsg and facetime :)