While “Google Meet” replaced Duo last year, call functionality is still technically split between legacy features for personal users and enterprise users. Now, Workspace users can make direct calls too.
While personal users can place direct 1:1 calls, enterprise Workspace customers can’t. Starting a meeting still involves generating a meeting link and then sharing via calendar invite, chat, or email.
That is now changing with the ability to make “cloud-encrypted 1:1 video calls to other users in your organization.” This will let you “place a Meet call on your mobile app directly to a colleague, ringing their mobile device,” just like personal users already can.
These calls include in-meeting chat, virtual backgrounds, visual effects, live closed captions, and more features “depending on your Workspace edition.” While this is similar to Duo, functionality like group calls, messages, moments, family mode, and knock knock aren’t available.
As part of this, the Google Meet app is getting a slight redesign. The account avatar/switcher is no longer part of the search, while that bar now has a new “Code” shortcut.
Meanwhile, there’s a new “Start a call” screen that’s much nicer than the current one. You search for contacts or dial at the top, with big shortcuts to “Create link” and “Schedule.” Below that is a grid of suggestions instead of a long list. Tapping a person takes you to a live preview that lets you adjust your feed before starting the “Call.”
In the coming weeks, 1:1 enterprise calling will be “available to all Google Workspace customers” for users that have the new app (Android + iOS) with a multicolored logo instead of the “original” one.
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Michael Johnson is a tech enthusiast with a passion for all things digital. His articles cover the latest technological innovations, from artificial intelligence to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
