Google's Long History of Failing at Video Calling on Android
Google has struggled to create a unified messaging platform for Android, and its attempts at video calling have been no exception. In 2008, Google introduced Gmail with Google Talk, which allowed users to make voice calls and send instant messages. However, it wasn't until 2011 that the company released a dedicated video calling app for Android.
Hangouts was launched in 2013 as a unified messaging platform, replacing Google Talk video calls in Gmail and adding support for SMS and Google Voice integration. But Google didn't feel the same way about Hangouts, and it was eventually rebranded and split into two separate apps: Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet.
Enter Duo, which was launched in 2016 as a simple video calling app that could be used with either a phone number or a Google account. Duo offered features like screen sharing, desktop support, and a 'Knock Knock' feature that showed the caller's live preview before answering.