Google Duo is a video calling app by Google. Video calls have become a great way to communicate with friends and loved ones. They are also useful for business meetings and communication. If you are an iOS user, you probably have FaceTime on your iPhone or iPad. This app is for those with Android devices.
Google Duo was not the only video calling app from Google; there was also Google Meet. However, in 2022, Google Meet features were added to Google Duo. No, Google Duo is not the same as Google Meet, but we will talk about that later on in this review.
This Google app is not the only video-calling app out there. There are several others, including Apple’s FaceTime. In this review, we will examine the features of Google Duo in light of other video-calling apps. At the end of the review, you should be able to decide if this app is better for you than other video-calling apps.
How Does Google Duo Work?
The first step to getting Google Duo to work on your phone is to download it from the Play Store. If you’d rather not use the Play Store, there are several alternatives such as APKMirror and Aptoide. If you use a Samsun device, you can check the Samsun Galaxy store.
You can click on the links at the end of this article to download Google Duo instantly.
When you open the installed app, you need to agree to the Google privacy policy and terms of service. Then approve the necessary permissions. Once that is done, the next step is to verify your number. You need a valid phone number to use Google Duo. The app will then send you a one-time verification code by SMS. After that, Google Duo is ready for use.
With that, you can begin making video calls to your contacts. Google Duo does not use your phone units but uses your data plan or WIFI. So, it’s cheaper than making a direct call through your phone plan.
Google Duo and Google Meet
Now, back to Google Duo and Google Meet. Although both apps are similar, there are significant differences between them. We’ll examine how they’re similar and how they differ.
So, there was Google Duo and Google Meet; two separate apps that sort of did almost the same thing. Google probably figured out the futility of maintaining two different apps with similar functionality and merged both. Except, you can still find both Google Duo and Google Meet on the app store.
Google Meet was more of a video conferencing app, but that function is now available on Google Duo. So, you can voice call, video call and make group calls on Google Duo. Although Google Meet is still there, it is expected that Google will discontinue the app soon.
Main Features of the App
- Make video calls
- Make voice calls
- In-meeting chat function
- Make group video calls with up to 100 members
- Use the close captioning function during calls
Google Duo vs Other Apps
At this point, you might be wondering why you should use Google Duo particularly since there are other video-calling apps. For Apple users, this question is even more pertinent considering the existence of Apple FaceTime.
The main benefit Google Duo has over FaceTime is that it works across multiple platforms. FaceTime only works on iOS devices. You can’t call a user who doesn’t have an iPhone or iPad. Google Duo has both Android and iOS versions of the app. It also works on the web and other smart devices.
If you’re after higher-quality video and voice functions, then you are better off with FaceTime. However, prepare to expend a lot of data in the process. WhatsApp is another app that allows voice, video and group calls. It also supports instant messaging, which is not available on Google Duo. So, that’s another thing to consider.
If you need a simple video calling app that lets you make one-on-one calls and group calls, then try Google Duo. We love the fact that it uses so little data. It does not have complex features, but that’s the essence. A Simple way to make video and voice calls.
