Since the work from home order came into effect, Google has ramped up Google Duo trying to play catch up. The company has added several features on Duo and the latest one is the ability to send Zoom-like invite links for group video calls.
Invite links are now available on mobile and you don’t need to update the Duo app first thanks to the server-side update. To use the new feature, all you need is to add at least one member and Duo will provide an invite link. You can also still invite other users to jump in the conversation after starting a call.
Google will also bring a similar feature on the web in the future. Right now you can only join Duo invite links through Android and iOS or via a ChromeOS powered laptop with support for Duo’s Android app.
Invite links were first announced in early May as the company released new family-focused features for Google Duo including doodle on video calls and Snapchat-like mask effects.
To bolster Duo’s competitiveness in the video conferencing market, Google has bumped up both the audio and video quality, increased the number of group call participants up to 12, added AR effects, and also made it easier to capture a moment while on a group call.
Google has also ramped up development of Google Meet, its enterprise-focused video calling product which was opened to the public recently.