Google Meet just got two killer upgrades to take on Zoom

(Image credit: Google)

Google Encounter is getting the ability to display upward to 49 people at once on one screen and let users mistiness the background of their profile.

These features were previewed terminal month merely are now existence pushed out in full versions of Google Meet. Both of these enhancements should make video conferencing amend, especially when many people are still working from home.

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The 49-person view will be delivered in a tile format, allowing for each participant on the video phone call to exist seen at once. For people working in large teams, teachers running classes remotely, or people neat on hosting large virtual parties with their extended family, such a characteristic volition be a boon. And it should preclude needing to dig into a sidebar to pull upwardly a person's contour.

"Seeing more than people at the same fourth dimension can improve the dynamics of larger group meetings and classes," Google G Suite web log explained. "Whether it's seeing anybody'south reactions to what's beingness discussed, or more easily tracking multiple speakers, information technology tin assistance virtual meetings feel more similar in-person meetings and encourage participation."

The default view in Run into only shows 9 people at once and did show 16 in the tile format. But the update to Run into will allow users to hike that tile view up to 49 people in the layout setting section.

As for the blurred backgrounds setting, that should enable users to apply a pleasing portrait mode photography style effect to their video call profile. Blurring the background can help remove any distractions behind a person and allow for all participants in the call to focus on the matter at manus rather than squint at what could be an embarrassing picture on a person's wall, for example.

The characteristic volition exist turned off by default, but individual participants on the call tin mistiness their background past simply selecting the "plow on background blur" selection in the profile settings. It can be institute in the lesser right-manus side of the Google Meet interface for individual users.

Tweaking video call backgrounds is nothing new and has been a feature in Zoom for some time. But the addition of such features to Google See gives it nevertheless another feature to challenge Zoom and other video conferencing tools.

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Roland Moore-Colyer is U.K. Editor at Tom's Guide with a focus on news, features and stance articles. He oftentimes writes nearly gaming, phones, laptops and other $.25 of hardware; he's also got an interest in cars. When non at his desk Roland can be found wandering effectually London, frequently with a look of curiosity on his face up.