Google Duo App Gets Video Voicemail Support

Google Duo is adding a useful tool which lets you reach out to your contacts even when they are not available. The video calling app has been updated with a new video messages feature that enables users to leave video voicemails whenever someone fails to pick up a call. This means the next time when you call someone via the Duo app and they do not answer, you can choose to leave them a video message. Google says that if someone you are calling declines or misses the call, you can record up to 30 seconds of video as well as voice to send to the person to watch later.

The messages in the Duo app are essentially a voicemail-like feature and engineered to send users that are currently unavailable, a video or voice clip. The video messages feature has already started rolling out to Android smartphones and iPhones, with the feature widely available worldwide in the next few days. "Sometimes, your mom isn't free for a video call at the moment you're trying to show off your culinary masterpiece. The same goes when you're trying to catch your best friend to rave about your favourite basketball team's recent win. But even if they miss your call, you shouldn't lose the opportunity to show them what you were calling about. Beginning today on Google Duo, you can leave a video message when the person you're calling can't pick up," says Google in a blog post.

Notably, the clips automatically get deleted 24 hours after users first watches it. However, recipients can choose to download the message to their camera roll before the deletion. Also, like Duo calls, the messages feature is end-to-end encrypted.

Video messages in the Duo app can be played by tapping on the sender's icon. Additionally, a quick call back can be done through the "Call now" button available after watching a video message. Also to note, the received message can be accessed from the newly redesigned people view with play icons notifying when you have a new message.