Earlier this month, we learned that Google was preparing to add a few new features to its popular video calling app Duo. These included the ability to reach contacts using their email address, support for group calls on the web, shareable invites, and a new Family mode. The company has now started rolling out the latest update for Google Duo on the Play Store and it brings some of these features to the app.
Email address support
As per a recent report from Android Police, Google Duo 87 finally adds the option to let you connect with people using just their email address and vice-versa. When you first open the app after installing the latest update, you’ll see a new banner highlighting that other users will now be able to reach you via your email. Once you’ve refreshed and synced your contacts, you’ll be able to see all of your contacts who have enabled this feature on their end.
In case you don’t wish to use the feature, you can disable it by navigating to the Account sections in the Settings menu and tap on the toggle next to the “Reachable with email address” option. Unfortunately, the feature will create duplicate contacts in your Duo list and the app currently doesn’t include an option to merge duplicate contacts.
Despite the new email address support, however, Google Duo will still require your phone number as the primary means of identification when creating a new account. You also don’t get the option to hide your phone number or disable calls on it.
Google Duo Family mode
Along with the email address support, the latest update for Google Duo brings the new Family mode that was announced just a couple of weeks ago. To access the Family mode, you can tap the three-dot button in the bottom right corner during a video call and then choose the new Family option in the pop-up banner. Selecting the option switches Duo to a kid-friendly UI, with fewer features and less risk of accidentally ending calls.
The Family mode offers a small selection of filters and a doodling screen, where you can draw or scribble messages during the video call. Any doodles you make appear as a message on a cartoonish whiteboard on the other end, right below the video stream.
And finally, the update also brings a new graduation filter that adds a virtual cap and diploma to the video call. This adds on to the recently released Mother’s Day filter, which has been live for a few days now.
All of the aforementioned features are live on the latest version (v87 RC14) on Google Duo which has started rolling out on the Play Store. You can grab the latest update by following the link below.
Google Duo – High Quality Video Calls (Free, Google Play) →
Via: Android Police