Google's Duo app will soon allow its users to have group calls on the web, which was announced on Saturday, May 9, by the company. According to The Verge's latest report, the new update could be a great help for people to catch up with their friends and family during the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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Although individuals must first create an account before they could access Google's Duo video chat up, the company clarified that the new feature will be in Chrome as a preview within the coming weeks. It was explained by the Techcrunch's latest report hat Google's plethora of chat options have plenty of jokes. Still, the new update will help Duo be a bit different from Meet and Hangouts since it will be mobile-first, focusing on personal conversations.

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Previously, Google Duo focuses on one-on-one conversations, but it will soon change, and its name will also be replaced sooner or later. The update show will emphasize these changes and will be having the "family mode".

Google Duo's update will soon allow group calls in Chrome including Family Mode with doodles and masks

According to The Verge, the new "family mode" of Google Duo will allow its users to created doodles on the screen in real-time and apply masks and effects like on themselves, just like in Snapchat. The company included in the update the feature that allows the users to enjoy Google Duo by hiding the mute-buttons and hang-up whenever they're in the family mode so that they can draw doodles and play around without worrying about suddenly dropping the call that could spoil the fun.

The Google website said that the new update will provide the users fun masks and other effects that could turn them into cats, astronauts, and many more; they just need to tap the menu icon and then click the Family Mode to start the awesome video call. It will be available to those users who are signed into Duo using their Google accounts. The new update will stay private and secure between the user and their loved ones since the video calls on Duo are end-to-end encrypted.

One-on-one calls on Android and iOS will also have the Snapchat-like masks and other effects, including the terrifying mask that will turn your mother as a giant flower, which is a special filter for Mother's day. Techcrunch jokingly said that Duo might make your mother switch to Google Meet instead.

AV1 video codec will be introduced to Google Duo to improve video call quality, as reported by the company last month. The additional feature will be increasing the size of the group call from 8 to 12 individuals, and will also be introducing a side-by-side photo mode.

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