Google launches 'Duo' to take on Facetime, Messenger and Skype

Google has launched a new video chat app called ‘Duo’. With this, Google is ready to take on Apple’s Face Time, Microsoft’s Skype and Facebook’s Messenger app. 

‘Duo’ isn’t much different from the other video chatting services, except that it gives a glimpse at who is making the call, helping the recipient decide whether to answer. Google calls this feature, "Knock, knock". 

The new app, announced in May, is being released on Tuesday as a free service for phones running on Google’s Android operating system as well as Apple’s iPhones. 

“Today, we're releasing Google Duo - a simple 1-to-1 video calling app available for Android and iOS. Duo takes the complexity out of video calling, so that you can be together in the moment wherever you are,” the company posted on its official blog. 

Like FaceTime for iPhones, ‘Duo’ only requires a person’s phone number to connect. Many other services require both participants to have account logins to use their video calling options.

Google has been offering video calling through its Hangout feature for several years, but the internet company is now tailoring that service for business meetings.

Duo is being billed as a simpler, more reliable way to see friends and family as you talk to them.

It is the first of two new mobile apps that Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., has planned for this summer.

The Mountain View, California, company also is preparing to unveil a new messaging app called Allo featuring a robotic assistant that will suggest automated responses to texts. 

Google claims that all Duo calls are end-to-end encrypted.

Furthermore, it says the video chat app will switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data automatically without dropping your call.