If you’ve grown accustomed to using Google Duo, enjoy it while you can because it might be getting the axe from Google in the future.
A new report from 9To5Google states that “sources familiar with the matter” tell it Google is looking to replace the app. If you’re familiar with most of Google’s services, then you probably already know what Google offers in the way of video calling apps.
A camp that Google Duo belongs to. But, if the information is accurate than you won’t be able to keep using the app forever. A change won’t be immediate though, and is slated for more in the long term.
The report notes that a transition from one app to the other could take as long as two years.
Google wants to consolidate, and will do so by replacing Duo with Meet
Based on the information Google will use Meet as Duo’s replacement. Because both apps are so very similar in what they offer to users, Google really only needs one.
And seeing as how Meet is already replacing Hangouts for the video calling, with Chat taking over the Hangouts chat functions, that leaves Duo as the odd man out in this collection of communication tools.
Right now there’s no exact timeframe for this switch. So it could still be a long while before there’s a shift away from Duo to Meet. The changes do appear to be coming though. G Suite head Javier Soltero (who now oversees Hangouts and Duo as well) has already made it known that there’s no need for more than one video calling app to coexist.
Meet has already been established as a large player in the business market. So much so that it feels it’s the more valuable video calling app of the ones that it offers.
The shift comes at an interesting time
Taking Duo and replacing it with Meet might seem a bit strange if you look at Duo’s popularity.
It’s been a well-received application and has likely been used a lot since people have been locked inside their homes for the past few months. Google even added a bunch of new features to the app since the year started.
Back in March it added group video calls. In January it added the ability to send notes and create doodles for the person you’re calling. And most recently it added AR effects for the group video calling feature.
With that being said, Google is likely to take these features and transition most or all of them over to Meet. And use it as both a business and consumer calling app with functional and fun features all wrapped into one.