Plus, with Messenger, you don't need a Facebook account (a phone number will suffice).īut Google didn't create Duo to be an all-in-one communication platform to do so would make it hairier to use. For example, they support messaging and you can start video calls with multiple people. And the best difference between it and Hangouts? It uses end-to-end encryption, so your data can't be viewed from third parties or even Google itself.Īll three of these competing apps do much more than simply one-to-one video calls. Other than downloading the app, you won't have to force anyone to log into their Google accounts or sign up for a new service. Unlike Hangouts, it reaches people through their phone numbers, not their Gmail.

Whereas Hangouts can be used on desktops, supports messaging and group chats, and has multiway video for collaboration (and its interface reflects these extra features), Duo does one thing and one thing only: video calls on your phone or tablet. But according to Google, Duo is supposed to be way more specialized. Lynn La/CNET It's different than Hangouts (no, really)Īt this point you might be wondering what makes Duo different than Google's other video-calling service, Hangouts, and you're not alone if you think the company has one too many communication tools. During a call, you'll see only a handful of features (right). Joe brings that same passion to How-To Geek.Before a call you'll see icons to start video and your recent contacts (left). If something piques his interest, he will dive into it headfirst and try to learn as much as possible. Outside of technology, Joe is an avid DIYer, runner, and food enthusiast.

After several years of jailbreaking and heavily modifying an iPod Touch, he moved on to his first smartphone, the HTC DROID Eris. He got his start in the industry covering Windows Phone on a small blog, and later moved to Phandroid where he covered Android news, reviewed devices, wrote tutorials, created YouTube videos, and hosted a podcast.įrom smartphones to Bluetooth earbuds to Z-Wave switches, Joe is interested in all kinds of technology. He has written thousands of articles, hundreds of tutorials, and dozens of reviews.īefore joining How-To Geek, Joe worked at XDA-Developers as Managing Editor and covered news from the Google ecosystem.

Joe loves all things technology and is also an avid DIYer at heart.

He has been covering Android and the rest of the Google ecosystem for years, reviewing devices, hosting podcasts, filming videos, and writing tutorials. Joe Fedewa has been writing about technology for over a decade.

How to download google duo on iphone