Dubbed “Duo”, the app will feel familiar to those who prefer video calls to old-fashioned audio ones, but has some new features both on the front and back ends that developers hope will convince users to add yet another app to their likely crowded phones.
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In Duo, a user is not required to have a Google account as the app is tied to a phone number, Google explained in a recent blog post.
Google Duo is capable of bridging the gap between iOS and Android users.
Allo has not yet launched, and Google has not set a date.
“Call quality adjusts to changing network conditions to keep you connected”, Uberti says.
Like FaceTime for iPhones, Duo only requires a person’s phone number to connect. Google then sends you a text message containing a code to enter. I love the simple interface with just a giant “Video Call” button at the bottom, along with avatars of people you can call.
Google Duo has also been made to be fast and reliable, so that video calls connect quickly and work well even on slower networks.
While this may not be the first cross-platform video calling solution to hit the market, Google is sure to make an impact with the latest addition to its suite of iOS apps. This may be a deal breaker for those who like to chat on multiple devices, but for those looking for easy video calling, it’s worth a try.
There’s one big caveat here: Knock Knock will only work with contacts you’ve saved to your phone. Forty-seven percent of those in the US ages 18 and up said they participated in phone-based video calls or chats in 2015, compared to 33 perceent in 2013.
When in a video call, you get numerous features you’d expect from a service like FaceTime, including mute, switching between the rear and front-facing camera, and ending the call. In other words, don’t assume your friend can’t see you while you’re ringing them, because they can, and that could lead to some embarrassing situations. When using FaceTime, we had a greater tendency to look at ourselves via the selfie screen, which was more prominently placed in the top right corner.
After each call, Duo creates a shortcut to easily start a call with that person in the future.
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Hangouts will continue to exist moving forward, and if you’re not a business user there’s no reason why you can’t keep using the app, but as far as going mobile is concerned, it would seem that Google is hoping Allo and Duo will take care of those needs for you. Once you open Duo, you’ll have to agree to Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
