Google Duo 1st

Android & IOS: https://duo.google.com

What’s great

Google’s free new app strips away the hassle of video messaging. You don’t even need an account – just a phone number, and the number of a family member or friend with Duo installed. With those in place, simply launch the app and tap your contact’s profile picture to call them.

The call recipient sees a live video preview of you before they answer. While I found this disconcerting at first, it does help overcome the problem of cold calls. You can disable the feature (called Knock Knock) if you prefer. All calls are encrypted for extra security, and the video and audio quality are outstanding, provided your Wi-fi is stable. I called a friend 200 miles away, and could see his face and hear his voice so clearly it was almost unnerving.

Calls are free, because Duo uses the internet rather than call minutes on your phone. It takes up minimal storage space and much less data and battery life than I’d expected.

Could do better

My first day using Duo was far from smooth, with calls dropping out without warning. This may have been down to an early flaw, because quality and reliability have been top-notch ever since, even when I’m chatting to my mum in Spain.

Missing altogether is the option to make text and voice-only calls using the app, and it’s annoying to have to invite your contacts to download the app before you can talk to them (this will become less of a problem as more people use it).

Verdict

Duo is another triumph for Google. It’s short on features, but strong where it matters – performance, ease of use and security. It’s light on your battery, too.