Google Duo and Meet merger is now live, here is what you need to know

Teased for several months now, the Google Duo and Meet merger is finally live. If you use either of the two services, the merger means that Duo has been upgraded to include all Meet features. Google has basically bundled together two services to offer a more streamlined video calling and meetings solution.Although the rollout of the upgrade started last month, a broader deployment kicked off this week. Probably in the next few weeks, everyone will have access to the new features included in the upgrade, such as the ability to schedule and join meetings, virtual backgrounds, in-meeting chat and many more, in addition to the current video calling features.

The upgrade also involves additional meeting features that allow users to start an instant video call with an entire group or connect with colleagues at a recurring schedule time. Additionally, users will be able to change their background or apply visual effects before joining a meeting. On top of that, the new and enhanced service will allow users to take advantage of the in-meeting chat and captions features while in a meeting.

Furthermore, Google Meet is getting a nifty “live sharing” feature, which allows all meeting participants to interact with the content that’s being shared. For example, watching videos on YouTube, creating a playlist on Spotify, or even playing (specific) games, can be turned into group activities.

Keep in mind that the upgrade will take place throughout the month across mobile and tablet devices, and will come later for other devices. Make sure that you update your app to the latest version to benefit from the latest changes. You’ll know that you got the new experience when you’ll see the app name and icon update to Google Meet.