Google's Duo's Bubblegum Gobbledegook

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18 August 2016 | Updated 01 January 1970

According to the Google Blogger, 'video calling is the next best thing to being with someone in person but too often it can be a frustrating or complicated experience'. (ThisWeekinFM agrees it can be frustrating....but more to do with wifi than the various apps. Next best thing to being with someone...some bloggers should get a more rewarding life).

Back to the blog...You shouldn’t have to worry about whether your call will connect or if your friend is using the same type of device as you are. It’s no wonder that nearly half of us never make video calls on mobile.

This week (ending August 19), we’re releasing Google Duo — a simple 1-to-1 video calling app available for Android and iOS. Duo takes the complexity out of video calling, so that you can be together in the moment wherever you are (yuk!).

Google Duo works across Android and iOS — all you need is a phone number

To get started, all you need is your phone number and you’ll be able to reach people in your phone’s contacts list. No separate account is required, so you can sign up in just a few steps. From there, you can instantly begin a video call with a single tap.

Fast and reliable

We all know how it feels when a call fails to connect or when video gets choppy. We’ve built Duo to be fast and reliable, so that video calls connect quickly and work well even on slower networks. Call quality adjusts to changing network conditions to keep you connected - when bandwidth is limited, Duo will gracefully reduce the resolution to keep the call going smoothly. For video calls on the go, Duo will switch between wi-fi and cellular data automatically without dropping your call. You can start your call at home and continue seamlessly even when you head out the door.

Human design

To make calls feel more like an invitation rather than an interruption, we created a feature in Duo called Knock Knock which lets you see live video of your caller before you answer, giving you a sense of what they’re up to and why they want to chat. Knock Knock makes video calling more spontaneous and welcoming, helping you connect with the person before you even pick up.

Finally, we built Duo with an emphasis on privacy and security, and all Duo calls are end-to-end encrypted.

Posted by Justin Uberti, Principal Software Engineer

Picture: Duo will be live worldwide in the next few days

Article written by Google Blogger | Published 18 August 2016

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