Google Duo has finally arrived on the web, which means users can now make video calls right on their browsers.
Android Police was the first to notice that Google has begun widely rolling out the web version of its proprietary video chat platform. Duo first debuted on smartphones then was ported shortly thereafter to Chromebooks. The arrival of the web version should make it easier for users to chat with their friends and family.
How To Google Duo On The Web
To start video chatting on the web, simply go to the Google Duo web portal. Those who already have Duo accounts will automatically get a search box with a list of their contacts who also use Duo. Otherwise, the site will prompt the non-Duo user to download and install the app either from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Google Duo works on Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and even Safari, but at the moment, it doesn't seem to be operational on Microsoft Edge. Exactly why is this remains unclear; perhaps Google is still patching up a few things up with regard to browser compatibility. In any case, just use either of the three supported web browsers. Users can place both video and audio-only calls, but it will only work if the person on the other end is registered with Duo.
With this expansion, Duo is now available wherever users might need it, and, in turn, this is in line with Google's increasing attempts to clean up its messaging ecosystem. Google Hangouts, for example, shows signs of going away completely, and in place of it is a new messaging platform altogether.
Google Duo
As previously mentioned, Duo began life on Android as one of two messaging platforms Google was trying to push at the time. Although Allo, a messaging service that featured Google Assistant, has shuttered — Google migrated its very best features to Android Messages, though — Duo has outlived its sibling, and its arrival on the web suggests it's here to stay.
OnePlus announced recently that it plans to more deeply integrate Duo on its phones and make it the official video chat service, as well. On the other hand, Allo shows no signs of resurrection. Even still, Google recently announced that Google Assistant will start coming to Android Messages over the coming weeks.
Do you have any thoughts on Google Duo finally arriving on the web? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
