Video calls might be the way everyone is communicating currently, but not all video calls are equal. Some apps are simply just better at presenting high-quality communication over the internet than others, which is why apps like Zoom and Skype have become so popular. Or Teams if you’re company and security-conscious, even though WhatsApp and Duo can essentially do the same thing.
Google though is working on trying to improve that experience with a new update that promises a significant upgrade in video quality. The company has developed a new video codec technology called AV1, the product of an industry-wide consortium called the Alliance for Open Media, which is said to feature a higher data compression rate meaning that it will be able to offer a better quality video for the same bandwidth.
According to Google, the codec change will also help with video call stability. In addition to the AV1 update, Google is releasing a new photo mode for Duo so you can capture and then share side-by-side photos of you and one other person on your call with the feature expanding to group calls “soon.” The company also says it plans to increase the group call size even further, after raising it from eight to twelve last month, though they didn’t reveal what the new limit may be.
Even though Google Duo might not be the go-to platform for many people, the company is claiming that there has been an 800 percent increase in video messages and so it makes sense for them to work hard on improving the experience to make their platform one of the go-to places for video calling.
Last Updated: April 27, 2020
