Google Meet adds a new feature for video conferencing: animated backgrounds and 360-degree videos on smartphones and tablets. Enough to move with the background without creating a weird effect. For now, this new feature will be reserved for Google Workspace users.
At the end of 2020, at a time when health restrictions were making video conferencing explode, particularly via Zoom, Google Meet drew custom backgrounds: just add any background photo while unchecking, so as not to show your home. A year later, the video conferencing app has been enhanced with realistic animated backgrounds that can change based on the weather or time of day. This time, Google Meet takes things a step further with 360-degree virtual backgrounds.
360 degree virtual environments in Google Meet
Google said on the Workspace blog that it will roll out 360-degree video backgrounds for the mobile version of Meet. These are in addition to the immersive backgrounds and there are two available: a beach and a temple. In fact, the function uses the gyroscope of your smartphone or its touch panel to reproduce your position in the virtual environment. Google claims that ” admins can enable or disable backgrounds for their users “. An experience that is available on Android and iOS right now.
At the moment, the functionality is released or in the process of being implemented; within a fortnight, it should be available to everyone. However, not all accounts will be able to benefit from it: only Google Workspace and G Suite customers will be eligible for it. We can imagine that in the long term, Google will make this function available to all users, although nothing guarantees it.
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