Google Duo is now available worldwide, after making its official debut 2 days ago. The video calling app has somehow managed to gain the attention of users, thanks to its simplicity.
But as always, there are people who want more features. And this time they aren’t wrong.
The biggest problem in Google Duo, is that it is exclusively a video calling app. How many of you actually video chat regularly? Not many of us do. Unless you have a close relative or good friend living in a place far away from yours, video calling isn’t a big deal.
What would have been more useful is voice calls, aka audio calls, which we are likely to use on a daily basis. And Google it seems is well aware of this request. The Mountain View company’s Product Lead of Communications, Amit Fulay, shared a post on Google+ about Google Duo’s launch.
People began commenting on the post, and one them questioned him about the possibility of voice calling being added to Duo, to which Fulay said, that Google Duo will get Audio Calls soon.
Technically it shouldn’t be much of a problem for Google, although it could considerably burden its servers more. Google has incredibly efficient Data Centers, but the possibility of its Billions of users jumping to make voice calls using Duo, would be greater, compared to the much smaller number of users who will use the app for video calls.
It does sound like a well planned staged rollout of features, doesn’t it. Duo and its soon to debut companion instant messenger Allo, are nothing but direct competitive services for Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, both of which offer audio calling, in addition to texting.
The fact that Google had to split Hangouts into two apps for competing with its rivals, is a bit absurd. The company’s Chairman, Eric Schmidt, was recently quoted to admit that a part of its messenger app, Hangouts On Air, which was a live streaming service for Group chats, will be discontinued soon, in favour of YouTube Live Streaming.
