Rumours of Google Meet landing on our television sets and eventually replacing the video conference app have been going around for some time. However, Google now wants us to prepare for the big screen debut of Google Duo.
While launching Google Meet on Chromecast recently, Google also teased the launch of Google Duo on Android TV. “In an effort to bring the video calling experience to more parts of your home, Google Duo is rolling out a Beta on Android TV in the coming weeks,” Google said in a blog post.
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There are no details forthcoming about how Google Duo would work on Android TV and when the beta version would launch. We will keep you updated when we have some information on this front. All we can say now is that Google Duo would appear on Android TV once it gets on to the Google Nest Hub Max.
Meanwhile, the latest update to Chromecast virtually confirms that Google wants Google Meet to be its primary video conferencing application, with the Google Duo merging into it sooner than later four years after it was launched in 2016.
The new feature enhances the video conferencing experience as it can now be cast on to the living room Android TV or any other Google Cast-connected device. Similarly, if the television has a built-in camera or a USB camera, users can initiate a chat with an individual or a group.
Cast your meetings on to the TV
So, all you need to do for that Star Trek feel to your morning business meeting is a television that can either be connected via Chromecast or directly go live using the Google Duo app on the smartphone. With Google Meet on Cast, you can turn any room in your house into your own personal conference room, taking advantage of your TV or a Smart Display. Whether you want to step away from the notifications on your laptop or phone to be more present in a meeting or you’re on mute in a larger meeting and want to concentrate on your task at hand, casting to your TV can help you be more productive and stay focused, the blog post says.
The Google Meet on Chromecast feature can be accessed on the latest version of Google Chrome via a desktop PC or laptop. The Chromecast would need to have the latest firmware version though.
When you want to casting a meeting, the PC's camera, microphone and audio would get used but the visual would be far better when it appears on the big screen in the living room. In other words, you could be able to see up to 250 participants that is allowed by G-Suite business version. Of course, there is no way you could have 250 thumbnails across a 55-inch screen making any sense. The maximum thumbnails would still be 16 with the option to scroll across.
You can start casting even prior to actually joining the Google Meet session. To start off the process, you need to click the three-dot menu and select "cast this meeting" and choose the right device such as the television set with Chromecast. To stop the cast, you need to once again click on the three-dots and select "stop casting meeting." Google has provided detailed instructions on the process.
We had reported earlier this month about how Google Meet is being seen as a better option in the video calling ecosystem that is targeted at business users. In recent months, Google has been pushing it to consumers too, as it tries to take a bite of Zoom's market share.
Given that the business-focused G Suite that holds Duo, Messages and the Android phone app are managed by one team now headed by Javier Soltero, there is general consensus that the Meet and Duo should not co-exist. With the latest updates, the company appears to be covering all its bases before deciding to put one of the two applications on the back burner.
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