Google Tuesday launched a video-calling app, Duo, that is poised to go up against Apple's FaceTime, Facebook's Messenger app and Skype.
While FaceTime is workable for only those mobile devices with Apple's OS, the new app from Google is distinguished for its ability to hold a video discussion across both the Android and Apple operating systems.
Duo is being touted as a simple-to-use, one-to-one video calling app for mobile devices. It was announced at a developer conference along with the debut of Allo, a new instant messenger app. Meanwhile, Google's Hangouts, another video and messaging app, is intended for enterprise users.
A feature that should prove to be a winning attribute for consumers concerned about privacy is the end-to-end encryption built into the system, which makes it impossible for even Google to read contents of communications. "We built Duo with an emphasis on privacy and security," reads a blog from Google.