Is Google Meet The Same As Duo?

Is Google Meet similar to Duo? This insightful article explores the differences between Meet and the Duo features, highlighting how each platform caters to different needs, and how they have merged to cater for everyone.

Google Duo and Meet's functionalities are now consolidated under the single banner of Google Meet. This approach eliminates confusion and offers a feature-rich solution for all communication needs. This guide delves into the new  Meet, exploring how it seamlessly integrates the strengths of both platforms to ensure efficient and secure video conferencing.

Is Google Meet The Same As Google Duo?

No, Duo and Meet are not the same anymore, but they are now merged into one app, a single platform called simply "Google Meet." This merger happened in June 2022.

Before the merge, they had distinct purposes:

• Google Duo app: Focused on casual, one-on-one video calling for personal use.
• Google Meet app: Offered a more high-quality video conferencing experience for meetings, presentations, and webinars.

Now, with the merged Meet, you get access to all the functionalities from both under one roof. You can make quick video calls or schedule full-fledged meetings with features like screen sharing and live captions.

What Is The Difference Between Google Duo And Google Meet In Comparison

Users interface and functions 

Before the merge, they did have distinct user interfaces premium features and functionalities:

• Google Duo: Allowed you to exchange video messages It had a clean interface designed for quick connections with friends and family. Features included knock knock (a video preview before answering), data-saving mode, and the ability to make calls to phone numbers for meaningful and fun interactions.
• Google Meet: Offered a more robust video conferencing experience for meetings, presentations, and webinars. It had features like screen sharing, meeting scheduling, live captions, and support for larger groups of participants.

Capability

Here's a breakdown of their capabilities before the merge to understand their historical strengths:

• Duo:
  • One-on-one or small group calls: Ideal for quick chats with a few people.
  • Simple interface: Easy to use for people of all technical backgrounds.
  • Phone number integration: Initiate calls using phone numbers in your contacts.
  • Data-saving mode: Conserved bandwidth for users on limited data plans.
• Meet:
  • Meeting scheduling: Enabled scheduling and sharing meeting links for an organized video feed.
  • Advanced features: Screen sharing, live captions, virtual backgrounds, and noise cancellation for a more professional experience.
  • Collaboration tools: In-meeting chat and the ability to share presentations or documents.

Integration with other services

Google Duo:

• Contacts integration: Tightly integrated with your Google contacts, making it easy to find and call people you already know.
• Limited third-party integrations: Didn't have many integrations with other services beyond basic contact syncing.

Google Meet:

• Google Calendar integration: You could easily schedule meetings directly in Google Calendar and create a Meet link for them.

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• Google Workspace integration: Deep integration with other Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Drive, and Docs for seamless collaboration during meetings.

Security

• Google Duo: Used end-to-end encryption for calls. This means the video and audio stream is scrambled with a code that only you and the other callers have the keys to decrypt.
• Google Meet: Relied on cloud encryption. This means the data is encrypted while in transit between your device and Google's servers, but Google holds the decryption keys.

Pricing and plans

There's no longer a separate pricing structure for Google Duo since it merged with Google Meet in June 2022. Here's how Meet pricing works:

• Free: Anyone with a Google account can use Google Meet for free. This includes features like one-on-one calls, group calls with up to 100 participants, basic screen sharing, video message, and live captions for smooth and engaging meetings.
• Google Workspace plans: For businesses and organizations that need more advanced features, Google Meet is included in various Google Workspace plans. These plans offer additional functionalities like:

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• Increased meeting participant limits (up to 250 or more)
• Meeting recording and transcripts
• Noise cancellation
• Meeting attendance tracking on any smart devices
• Secure meetings with attendance controls
• Integration with other Workspace tools like Calendar and Drive

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Which Was Better: Google Duo Or Google Meet?

Here's a breakdown of which platform was better for meeting features and calling features, considering both their original purposes and the current merged state:

Meeting features 

• Winner: Google Meet (originally and currently)
  • Meet was designed specifically for meetings, offering features like:
    • Scheduling and meeting links
    • Google Meet automatically adjusts large participant capacity (up to 100+ originally, even higher with Workspace plans)
    • Screen sharing, live captions, virtual backgrounds
    • Collaboration tools (chat, document sharing)
  • While Duo offered some basic video calling, it lacked the robust features and tools needed for productive meetings.

Calling Features

Winner: Depends on your needs

• For casual, quick connections: Google Duo (originally)
  • Features like phone number integration, being ability to watch YouTube videos, and a data-saving mode made it ideal for quick chats with friends and family.
• For one-on-one calls with strong security: Merged Google Meet
  • The merged platform retains Duo's end-to-end encryption for one-on-one calls, offering the highest level of security for private conversations.

Conclusion

While both Google Duo and Google Meet app has distinct advantages, their merger streamlined video communication and the highest video quality. Meet provides a comprehensive feature set for professional meetings while retaining the user-friendliness and security benefits of Duo for casual calls. This unified platform caters to a wide range of communication needs.

However, if you need a robust recording solution for your  Meet calls, Meet itself has limitations. Bluedot is more than just a transcription live-sharing tool; it's a Meet recording solution.

Bluedot doesn't stop at recording and transcription. It offers a suite of features to streamline your workflow, including:

• Auto-generated emails
• Meeting templates
• Secure cloud storage

By leveraging Bluedot's recording, transcription, video feed, and management functionalities, you can get the most out of your Google Meet meeting.

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FAQ

Is Meet similar to Duo?

Not entirely. Google Duo was for casual video calls, while Google Meet was a separate app designed for video calling. Now, the merged Google Meet offers features from both, allowing you to make quick calls or schedule formal meetings.

Why did Google merge Duo and Meet?

Google aimed to simplify the user experience. Having two separate apps for video quality could be confusing. Now, you have one platform for all your video communication needs.