Google is moving forward with its merger of Duo and Meet, though not as elegantly as some would like. TechCrunch reports that Google is rebranding Duo for Android and iOS into the Meet app, along with the video-centric logo. The company had already migrated many of Meet’s features. However, the old Meet app isn’t going away just yet — it will instead be rebranded as “Google Meet (original).”
All Duo users should see the rebrand by September. You’ll need to use your Google Account for any dating features, but familiar elements (like effects and contacts) will remain intact. The original Meet app will continue to work, but will not receive ad hoc calls and will eventually disappear.
As a spokesperson explained in June, the merger aims to adapt to the “evolving needs” of video calling, including meetings, by providing a unified experience. To some extent, this is further confirmation that Google’s mix of communication apps has become too complex. The tech firm plans to shut down Hangouts this fall to focus on Chat, for example, and ditched Allo in early 2019. While the existence of the old Meet may still be confusing, it should soon become clearer which ones Google apps you should use for work meetings or keeping in touch with friends.
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