Toni Dimaano Tech 02.20.2023 05:Feb AM EST

Google Meet Welcomes 360-Degree Virtual Backgrounds For Video Calls On Android, iOS

New 360-degree virtual backgrounds are being introduced by Google Meet for mobile video conversations on both Android and iOS.

According to The Tribune, a user's device's position will determine the backdrop, and when users move about, the background will also change.

The Move Aims To Make Google Meet More Refreshing To Use

As The Verge points out, it represents a pleasant shift from Meet's other filters, which include ones that transform people into cats and those that place their faces on strawberries.

This step follows Google's January release of emoji reactions for Meet, which includes the heart, thumbs-up, party popper, clap, joy, astonished, thinking, cry, and thumbs-down emojis.

The industry leader in video conferencing, Zoom, has long maintained a sizable archive of comments that far outweigh Meetings.

The Google Meet 360-degree virtual backgrounds are available on smartphone devices across for Google Workspace users and those who have Google Accounts for personal use worldwide.

It is important to note that currently, Google Meet already offers various backgrounds that include standard wallpapers, blur effects, video and moving backgrounds, styles, and filters.

The Times Of India also notes that Google Meet users can even upload their own customized backgrounds, but call administrators will have the power to terminate the use of backgrounds whenever necessary.

The Update Is Just One Of The Several Modifications Google Meet Has Introduced

Aside from the background and emoji updates, Google is also offering two updates that will make it simpler to share Slides with call participants when presenting in Meet.

A "Share in Meet chat" button that also appears as a "suggestion in the Meet Chat" is now available on the presentation controller in the bottom-right corner.

According to 9to5 Google, a link to the file will automatically be shared in the meeting chat, and attendees will be informed of the share.

The tech giant has also released other upgrades for developers, enabling them to now incorporate interactive widgets in "chat app cards" including radio buttons, checkboxes, and dropdown menus.

These may be used to quickly edit information sent from the Chat app and can be posted in the Chat message stream.

On a task card, when there are also selecting and deselecting options, they can alter the assignee and the due date.

Additionally, Google unveiled a new feature for Google Meet earlier this month that lets users add captions to meeting recordings.

Zee Biz notes that it will assist users in enhancing the value and usability of meeting records for meeting attendees.

Meanwhile, going back to the 360-degree background, for individuals who frequently find themselves joining video meetings or calls while on the go, the change has been incredibly helpful.

Despite this, if the caller is continually moving around, some people could find it to be quite distracting, according to The Indian Express.

So far, the potential of the new feature to be quite a distraction has been the only concern users and critics have expressed regarding the 360-degree backgrounds.