Skip to main content

Well that’s not creepy: Google Duo lets you peep at callers before you answer

Google Duo is on the Play Store, but you can only pre-register for now

Google was all about messaging during this year’s I/O keynote. After announcing a new chat app dubbed Allo, the Mountain View company introduced Duo, a video calling app.

If you can’t wait for Duo to launch, Google has already put the app on the Google Play Store, where you can pre-register. That means you’ll get a notification when the app is officially released.

Recommended Videos

What separates Duo from other video call apps is that you can see a live video feed of who is calling you before you answer. It’s kind of like the peephole on your front door in that you can see the caller, but the caller can’t see you. Google says this method encourages people to answer the call, rather than reject it.

Duo also looks at your contacts list and will let you know who is using the Duo app, making it easier to get in touch with your friends.

Another key feature is that Duo can seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi and cellular networks, so if you leave your house, it won’t drop your call. It can also control the quality of the video and audio depending on the connection. Duo will always attempt to transmit HD quality video, but it will slightly downgrade the quality level if the connection is weak.

Why isn’t Duo’s functionality included in the Allo messaging app, also announced at Google I/O? It appears that Google is trying to make it super simple for the average user. Apps that have many key features can be confusing for many people. From what we have seen from the app, it’s designed for only one purpose, which is to make it easier to make video calls quicker.

Google Duo
Image used with permission by copyright holder

With Facebook, Skype, and FaceTime already available, one would think Google is late to the party, but the company already offers video calling through the Hangouts messaging app. The one advantage to Hangouts is that it can handle multiple users at the same time, including live events. Duo seems to be more of an intimate way for two people to video chat more easily. It’s unclear though, if the existence of Duo (and Allo) will mean the end to the Hangouts app.

Duo launches this summer alongside the Allo messaging app on both Android and iOS.

Updates:

Updated on 05-24-2016 by Julian Chokkattu: Added in news of Duo arriving on the Play Store for pre-registration.

Robert Nazarian
Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…
Google Messages might let you unsend awkward messages in RCS chats
The Google Messages app on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Google Messages, the default messaging app on Android phones, could soon get new features that will let you unsend texts like third-party messengers. The unsend functionality is reportedly under testing and will be available for chats over RCS protocol, which succeeds traditional SMS with improved support for multimedia, emoji, reactions, etc.

Presently, when you delete a message, it is only removed from your device without impacting other participants in the chat. Now, Google appears to be testing a new "delete for everyone" functionality for conversations that will delete messages for all parties, similar to instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram. 9to5Google spotted references to the under-development functionality, suggesting it might be available for a wider audience to benefit from -- though the exact timeline of remains unknown.

Read more
You can now send higher-quality photos in RCS Google Messages chats. Here’s how
Google Messages app on a Pixel 8 Pro, showing an RCS Chat message thread.

Google Messages is one of the most popular messaging platforms on the planet — so popular, in fact, that companies like Samsung and Verizon are doing away with their in-house messaging apps in favor of it. More than 1 billion users engage with Google Messages monthly, and a large part of the experience is RCS. We've been eagerly looking forward to the introduction of quality control when sending photos, a feature first spotted earlier this month.

Now, Google Messages has begun rolling out the "original quality" media-sharing feature, as noted by Android Authority. For now, it's only available in the beta, but that's a firm sign that all users will be receiving it shortly.

Read more
Google has a magical new way for you to control your Android phone
Holding the Google Pixel 8 Pro, showing its Home Screen.

You don’t need your hands to control your Android phone anymore. At Google I/O 2024, Google announced Project Gameface for Android, an incredible new accessibility feature that will let users control their devices with head movements and facial gestures.

There are 52 unique facial gestures supported. These include raising your eyebrow, opening your mouth, glancing in a certain direction, looking up, smiling, and more. Each gesture can be mapped to an action like pulling down the notification shade, going back to the previous app, opening the app drawer, or going back to home. Users can customize facial expressions, gesture sizes, cursor speed, and more.

Read more