Google brings group calling to Nest Hub Max, previews Google Meet features

Google has announced group calling feature for its Nest Hub Max smart display through company’s existing video calling services Google Duo and Google Meet. Besides, the company also previewed Google Meet upcoming features like background blur, custom background, polling, etc. for educators and enterprises.

Video calling on Google Nest Hub Max

Currently available in the US, the Nest users can make a group video call with up to 32 participants through Google Duo or with up to 100 participants via Google Meet. To start a group video call through Google Duo using Nest Hub Max, user need to first create groups on the Duo mobile app. Once the groups are created, user can start a group video call through a voice command ‘Hey Google, make a group call’ to Nest Hub Max and tap on the group to connect with.

Besides Nest Hub Max, the Duo group video calling is available on LG XBOOM AI ThinQ WK9 Smart Display, JBL Link View and Lenovo's 8-inch and 10-inch Smart Displays. However, the Meet group video calling is available to Nest Hub Max users only.

Google Meet upcoming features

As for the upcoming Google Meet features, the company said it will soon add more features to its educator and enterprise centric video calling service. These features include hand raising to allow participants in meeting to notify the host when they have a question or something to say, meeting attendance for the host to know who attended the meeting, breakout rooms to split participants into smaller groups for parallel discussions without having to disconnect the video call, Q&A for convenient questions and answers session, and polling for participants to engage.