Google Duo Now Allows Users To Call Others Who Don't Have The App Installed

By Shannon Azares, Christian Post Contributor Saturday, January 13, 2018

Google has rolled out an update on their app, Duo, as it now allows users to call others who may not have the app installed on their phones or those who have yet to register. Further reports note that the support was made possible by Google Play's App Preview Messaging, which launched alongside Allo.

According to reports, the process did not change for the veteran users of Duo. Instead, their contact list had merely expanded to include users who have not registered to the app. The features remain intact and accessible, including the Knock-Knock feature. For those who will receive a call for a Duo user, they will receive a notification and they will be able to receive by dragging up the phone icon and do most of the features found in Duo as if they have it installed. After the call, another notification will arrive, which tells them to install Duo on their device.

Further reports reveal that the new feature is limited to Android phones. Thus, for people who are using iOS devices, they will have to install Duo to enjoy the features that it offers. Google is expected to reveal that criteria of compatibility for the new update that they released. Regardless, for those who will be receiving a call from a Duo user, they will have the option to decline as well as block future calls from the user.

In the meantime, the new feature is an application of the lessons learned from the App Preview messaging feature, which allows Android users to contact people even when the recipients do not have the app installed. Critics note that it has obviously been refined and this might be telling of the future of Allo, which launched alongside the technology. Google has yet to release further details, but more information is expected in the coming weeks.