Video-conferencing software developed by Google
Google Meet (formerly known as Hangouts Meet) is a video-communication service developed by Google.[3] It is one of two apps that constitute the replacement for Google Hangouts, the other being Google Chat.[4] It will replace the consumer-facing Google Duo by the end of 2022, with the Duo mobile app renamed Meet and the original Meet app set to be phased out.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of Meet grew by a factor of 30 between January and April 2020, with 100 million users a day accessing Meet, compared to 200 million daily uses for Zoom as of the last week of April 2020.[5][6][7]
History
Logo of Google Meet used from March 2017 to October 2020
After being invite-only and quietly releasing an iOS app[8] in February 2017, Google formally launched Meet in March 2017.[9] The service was unveiled as a video conferencing app for up to 30 participants, described as an enterprise-friendly version of Hangouts. It has launched with a web app, an Android app, and an iOS app.[citation needed]
While Google Meet introduced the above features to upgrade the original Hangouts application, some standard Hangouts features were deprecated, including viewing attendees and chat simultaneously. The number of video feeds allowed at one time was also reduced to 8 (while up to 4 feeds can be shown in the "tiles" layout), prioritizing those attendees who most recently used their microphone. Additionally, features such as the chatbox were changed to overlay the video feeds, rather than resizing the latter to fit.[citation needed] Hangouts was scheduled to cease operation in the first half of 2021.[citation needed] Google suspended its usual 60-minute limit for unpaid accounts.[citation needed]
In August 2020, it was reported that Google was planning to eventually merge Google Duo with the business-oriented Google Meet.[10] In December 2021 this objective had been dropped, but Duo continued to be available and updated.[11][12] In June 2022, Google reversed course and announced that Duo would, in fact, be merged into Meet..[13] The merger began in August, with the Duo mobile app renamed Meet and the original Meet intended to be phased out. The Google Duo web app will also be redirected to the Google Meet web app.[14]
Features
Features of Google Meet include:
- Two-way and multi-way audio and video calls with a resolution up to 720p
- An accompanying chat
- Call encryption between all users[15]
- Noise-canceling audio filter
- Low-light mode for video
- Ability to join meetings through a web browser or through Android or iOS apps
- Integration with Google Calendar and Google Contacts for one-click meeting calls
- Screen-sharing to present documents, spreadsheets, presentations, or (if using a browser) other browser tabs[15]
- Ability to call into meetings using a dial-in number in the US
- Hosts being able to deny entry and remove users during a call.[16]
- Ability to raise and lower hand
- Video filters, effects and augmented reality masks.[17]
Google Meet uses proprietary protocols for video, audio and data transcoding. However, Google has partnered with the company Pexip to provide interoperability between Google Meet and SIP/H.323-based conferencing equipment and software.[18]
Google Workspace accounts
Features for users who use Google Workspace accounts include:
- Up to 100 members per call for Google Workspace Starter users, up to 150 for Google Workspace Business users, and up to 250 for Google Workspace Enterprise users.[15][19][20][21]
- Ability to call into meetings with a dial-in number from selected countries.[15]
- Password-protected dial-in numbers for Google Workspace Enterprise edition users.
- Real-time closed captioning based on speech recognition.
- Background blurring and virtual backgrounds.
In March 2020, Google temporarily extended advanced features present in the enterprise edition to anyone using Google Workspace or G Suite for Education[22] editions.
Real-time translations of the automatically generated closed captions are planned to arrive some time in 2021.[23]
Gmail accounts
In March 2020, Google rolled out Meet to personal (free) Google accounts.[24]
Free Meet calls can only have a single host and up to 100 participants, compared to the 250-caller limit for Google Workspace users[25][16] and the 25-participant limit for Hangouts.[26] Unlike business calls with Meet, consumer calls are not recorded and stored, and Google states that consumer data from Meet will not be used for advertisement targeting.[27] While call data is reportedly not being used for advertising purposes, based on an analysis of Meet's privacy policy, Google reserves the right to collect data on call duration, who is participating, and participants' IP addresses.[28]
Users need a Google account to initiate calls[29][30] and like Google Workspace users, anyone with a Google account is able to start a Meet call from within Gmail.[31][32]
Hardware
In May 2020, Asus unveiled videoconferencing hardware designed for use with Google Meet in conference room settings, which includes a "Meet Compute System" mini PC, and a dedicated camera and microphone.[33]
On September 15, 2020, Google unveiled Meet Series One, in partnership with Lenovo, which includes a Meet Compute System with Edge TPU, "Smart Camera", "Smart Audio Bar" with noise reduction, and a choice of remote control or touchscreen that supports the Google Assistant.[34]
