Youth Incorporated Magazine

The COVID-19 pandemic has made one thing certain – like it or not, video calls are here to stay. People engage in video calls for various reasons such as online classes, connecting with family, or even just catching up with friends. Apps like Zoom and Cisco Webex are used very often to connect. However, Zoom has lost its novelty factor, and with more and more people getting used to it, competition has begun springing up in the market, to outdo the platform.  As per an online report, Google is working on several new features on Meet, its video-conferencing application.

According to a report by 9to5Google, the tech giant is working on a feature that would allow users to blur their backgrounds or replace them completely, similar to the virtual background feature in the Zoom app. Users will have a lot of default options or they can choose their preferred background. The report states that admins on group meetings will also have the option to disable this feature. The idea behind the feature is to let others not see certain surroundings that one may not want to show. The feature is also directed at making students and teachers more comfortable while attending online classes and meetings on Meet. 

The exact date of the feature being rolled out is not known, however, it is expected to be rolled out in the coming months. 

The custom background is not the only feature that Google is planning to bring to Meet. The report also states that there would also be a hand raising feature which would make conversations easier for participants to virtually raise their hand in meetings and classes.

Another feature that is expected is Meeting Attendance, which will give an idea to the host to know who participated in the meeting.

A new Q&A feature is also rumored to be in the works. It will allow participants to ask questions without interrupting an ongoing meeting or conversation. Google is also expected to give meeting hosts more controls like giving the option of muting participants in the meeting.

Google is not the only tech giant to have taken on Zoom. Reliance Industries have also entered the competition with their multi-platform video conferencing app, JioMeet.