Hello, is that Skype? It's Google on a video call for you. They're telling you to pack your bags.
Google has released Duo, a new one-to-one video call app that's aiming to do what pretty much every other video call app already does, but just a lot more efficiently.
So what does Duo do differently?
The big sell of Duo is that it will automatically switch between your regular mobile signal and a Wi-Fi connection - jumping seamlessly to whichever is fastest. We've not been able to test it out yet, but Google claims the process of jumping to the faster bandwidth is "super smooth": there shouldn't be any broken images or jagged, low-quality shots when you move to your mobile signal from wi-fi.
You don't need a new account
Rather than going through your Google Account or having to set up a separate profile, Duo will use your mobile number. No login, no passwords, just call and go.
It has a painfully simple interface
Rather than having a whole heap of options like Skype and Facebook's chat calls, Google has kept Duo clean: everything takes one tap, from selecting someone to call, to answering someone else's call.Incoming videos give you a preview of the video from whoever's calling you - so you can reject anything you might not want to see.
It's available for iOS and Android
You can download it here.
"But I never make video calls... I always just use the phone."
Us too. But it's nice to know there are options, isn't it?
