Google Duo 34 brings screen sharing and prepares quick responses

Google Duo updates to version 34, which introduces quick and easy screen sharing and shows the first tracks of the arrival of quick answers.

Google Duo 34 brings screen sharing and prepares quick responses, Google Duo 34 brings screen sharing and prepares quick responses,

Towards the end of March, the Google application for video calls had arrived at version 31 which, after months of development and waiting, had finally added support for links to Google accounts. With the new update, Google Duo is enriched with another feature on which the giant Mountain View has been working for several months now, namely screen sharing.

The Android Police team has created the usual “APK Insight”, analyzing in detail the latest version of the application released by Google on the Play Store. The operation is aimed at searching in the APK code for indications of possible new features. Obviously, as these are mere clues, it is not known whether or when Google will actually introduce them. Let’s discover the obvious and hidden novelties of Google Duo 34.

Google Duo 34: screen sharing arrives

While the Hangouts web client already supported screen sharing, mobile applications have not yet been able to benefit from this feature. In Google Duo, the screen sharing function is optimized for smartphones and could be quite convenient in different contexts of use, such as basic technical support or to share a great video. The 9to5Google team was the first to be able to activate this feature in November last year.

After starting a call with a user, you’ll find yourself in front of a new icon above the usual to mute the microphone and to switch between front and rear camera. Tapping on the new icon displays a warning that “Duo will start capturing everything that’s displayed on your screen. At this point, the user can select the option to go back, for example, if a tap was made unintentionally, or start sharing. This warning is shown each time unless you tick the “Don’t show again” option.

Once the share starts, the user is automatically taken back to the Home screen. At this point, a floating controller makes it possible to pause and quickly restart screen sharing with one key, while the other serves to end screen sharing and reopen the screen with the Duo call. The controller in question changes color: it is orange when sharing is in progress, blue while paused. Another way to end screen sharing is to use the “Stop sharing” option shown in the notification drop-down.

The new feature is active and working properly after installing version 34 of Google Duo, currently being rolled out.

Rapid response key

Google Duo 34 also contains an interesting preview: received video and audio messages will soon gain the option to respond directly and quickly. For the time being, they only allow the user to call the other person quickly after seeing the message. The “Reply” key would represent an evolution of this possibility.

Removing from Recent Contacts

Google Duo version 34 also brings another small change: when you hold down the icon for a recent contact and open the options menu, you notice that “Remove from list” has been renamed “Remove from recent contacts”, for the sake of clarity.

Google Duo version 34 is already available for download on the Play Store and can be downloaded with the following badge. Do you use Google Duo? Like the new screen sharing feature? Please let us know in the comment box.