When Google made Meet free for everyone to use, it came with the stipulation that, after September 30, call length would be limited to just one hour. If you wanted to make calls longer than that (up to 24 hours), you’d have to become a business user.

With lockdown restrictions more or less the same as they were six months ago, however, Google has decided to extend unlimited Meet calls for free users through March 31, 2021. That means you won’t need a business account if you want to make a call longer than one hour. The timing of Google’s announcement is perfect with the holidays just around the corner.

In addition to extending the deadline for unlimited Meet calls, Google is also introducing noise cancellation to Meet for Android and iOS. The feature was previously made available on desktop and is now available on mobile for G Suite Enterprise and G Suite Enterprise for Education customers. If you’d like to see just how impressive Meet’s noise cancellation technology is, you can see (or listen to) an example right here.

Google Meet’s noise cancellation is made possible through — what else? — machine learning, and the results are truly impressive. If you’re in a home with constant background noise, Meet’s noise cancellation can make your voice much clearer during video meetings.

These features arrive amidst a flurry of other additions to Google Meet. Over the past few months, the service has added background blur, Chromecast compatibility and a fun Whiteboard feature. With video conferencing becoming such an important part of communication these days, Meet has become increasingly popular alongside competitors such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

As Google continues to evolve Meet, there are rumors it’ll eventually become the sole video calling app in the search giant’s arsenal, completely replacing Duo. For now, all users, free or otherwise, can participate in unlimited calls through March 31 of next year.

Google Meet (original) Developer: Google LLC
Price: Free
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