• Wion
  • /World
  • /Alternative for Zoom? Google makes video conferencing app Meet free for all users - World News

Alternative for Zoom? Google makes video conferencing app Meet free for all users

Alternative for Zoom? Google makes video conferencing app Meet free for all users

Google Meet

In a bid to increase its userbase during the coronavirus pandemic, Google has announced that it has made its video-streaming application Meet free for all its users.

Until now, itwas only available to business and education users via G Suite.

The move has made it a strong contender for Zoom app.

The app formerly known as Google Hangouts Meet, will befree ''starting in early May.''

It users will bewill be able to start, join, and schedule a Google Meet call.

The CEO of Alphabet, SundarPichai revealed that Google Meet passed100 million daily active userslast week and is adding “roughly” 3 million new users every day.

Google has provided freevideo conferencingfor nearly 12 years through its Hangouts service, but it features outdated security and technology and its popularity has waned. The company also maintains Duo, a video calling app accessible only on smartphones.

According to Smita Hashim, a director of product management at Google,"it's a more secure, reliable, modern product," in comparison to Google Duos.

However, Meet will cut free calls after an hour starting in October, compared with no time limit on Messenger and Skype and a 40-minute restriction on consumer Zoom accounts.