Google today launched Google Duo, a one-to-one video calling app for Android and iOS. You can download Duo from Google Play and Apple’s App Store though you may have to wait a bit as this is a gradual rollout — “it will be live worldwide in the next few days.”
Duo is mobile-only, was built to be very fast thanks to Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC), and “takes the complexity out of video calling,” according to principal software engineer Justin Uberti. Duo promises fewer dropped calls, and even supports handing off calls to and from Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
The app, dubbed Duo, represents Google's response to other popular video calling options, including Apple's FaceTime, Microsoft's Skype and Facebook's Messenger app.
Duo isn't much different from the other video chatting services, except that it gives a glimpse at who is making the call, helping the recipient decide whether to answer. Google calls this feature, "Knock, knock."
To get started with Duo, all you need is a phone number. You don’t need to create a separate account, nor do you need a Google account. And no, Duo doesn’t use your Google account in any way, according to Google.
Google has been offering video calling through its Hangout feature for several years, but the internet company is now tailoring that service for business meetings.
Duo is being billed as a simpler, more reliable way to see friends and family as you talk to them.
All Duo calls are end-to-end encrypted by default. Because the calls are set up via Google’s servers and rely on peer-to-peer technology, encryption is a must to ensure none of the intermediate networks can tap into your call.
The team is of course open to feedback and will add functionality depending on what users want, but at least for now, Duo isn’t going to completely replace your existing video calling app. For one-to-one calls though, it’s a worthy contender.
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