Google Duo APK Teardown Reveals Upcoming Holi Chat Effects, Video Invites: Report

Google Duo recently received an update and the changelog was pretty minimal stating that it now supports Android tablets, and brings along general bug fixes and improvements. However, the new update's APK teardown has revealed a few features that are currently in the pipeline. Most notably, Google is looking to introduce Holi-themed chat effects in Duo, to celebrate the upcoming festival on March 20. The teardown also reveals that the app will add multiple effects and give you the option to apply more than one simultaneously.

As per a teardown performed by Android Police, Google Duo will bring a new video invite system and multiple Holi effects in future updates. The Holi effects will be introduced in celebration of the festival of colour, and chat effects will include floating foods, colourful flowing liquid borders, sunglasses, and colourful powders. Google had introduced similar chat effect during Valentine's Day, but the company stuck with a single floating hearts theme.

With Holi, Google Duo may get multiple effects, and users will have the option to pick between different effects for Holi, and possibly even apply more than one at the same time. The report states that the feature may be restricted geographically and will run on select phones that are capable of running these effects. This feature should arrive days before the festival.

Further, the APK teardown reveals that Duo will also begin supporting video invites. How this feature will work hasn't been detailed, but it could be that users could send video messages to people inviting them to a future call, or ask them to join Duo through an invite link. Of course, this is pure speculation and shouldn't be taken as the final word. Late last month, Google Duo was made available on the web, allowing both video and audio calls.