![]() Rather than having to think about which app has which features for what type of call we’re making, we want to just be able to click, call, and be done with it. Google insists that Hangouts is for work, while Duo is for personal calls, but few users see a reason to differentiate. He and other critics say that Google Hangouts already enables one-to-one video calls, and that having a standalone app is more confusing than helpful. “Google Duo is a mistake,” says Nate Swanner at The Next Web. There’s Google Hangouts, Google Messenger, Duo, and soon, they’ll be releasing Allo, a chat-based app. But most of the criticism of Duo points out that Google already has like, a kajillion messenger apps. On the other hand, some complain that, because Duo only supports mobile-to-mobile calls, you can’t call someone who is using a computer. Knock-Knock seems like a great way to gauge the caller’s environment or mood before diving into the video chat.īesides its simplicity, Duo also gets nods for working with very small bandwidths, making it a great option for rural and other low-service areas, as well as for developing nations, where a lot of people have smartphones but are stuck with 2G (Skype and Facebook Messenger all require at least 3G).ĭuo can also switch seamlessly between Wi-Fi and cellular, so you won’t have many dropped calls. The only standout feature is called Knock-Knock, a sort of visual caller ID that shows you a streaming video of the caller before you pick up. Just type in your phone number, receive a confirmation text, and you’re done.ĭuo instantly syncs with your existing contact list, so there will be no need to repopulate your phone book manually.Ĭalling is simple too, requiring only two taps, one for “call” and one for the contact’s name.ĭuo has virtually no fancy features or bells and whistles. ![]() The app can be installed in under a minute. Google wanted to create “as simple an experience as possible” with a “solution that is almost as simple as voice calling,” says Amit Fulay, Group Project Manager at Google.Īnd simple, it is. The idea behind this straightforward, stripped down app was to make video calling incredibly easy. Well, the app has finally been released, to mixed responses. ![]() Read also: Google patents “pedestrian glue” so you stick to a hood if hit ![]()
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