Truecaller for Android Will Now Do Videos! Thanks to Google Duo
Truecaller will integrate Google Duo for enabling video calling in its app
So far, WhatsApp has been the only successful alternative to Skype, for video calling. Yes, there are Viber and Google Duo which do the same things. But Viber is relatively unknown and hasn’t caught on like WhatsApp. Even the remotest smartphone user knows and uses WhatsApp. Google Duo shares the same fate of obscurity as Viber. It is a new entrant and hardly any people know about it other than outside the circles of techies and other savvy users. Google is trying to create awareness and increase its user base though TV and social media adverts.
In India, Truecaller is much more well-known rather than Viber or Google Drive. Most of the smartphone users have either used or are using Truecaller to filter out unwanted calls, making it one of the better-known platforms in India.
Truecaller has decided to expand its services by offering Video Calling through its app. To achieve this, it has partnered with Google Duo which already has the infrastructure in place. It is a smart decision by Truecaller as it will not only save on the infrastructure cost but it will also be able to leverage Google’s advanced video calling features. It is a win for both, Truecaller and Google.
What it means for Indian Mobile Users
Truecaller’s video calling will offer a very much usable alternative to WhatsApp’s video calling. Not everybody uses or likes WhatsApp. Truecaller will still work as a spam detector and also offer video calling via Google Duo. The Truecaller app will show a Google Duo Video Call icon. The user simply has to click on it to initiate a video call. But the caveat here is that the user will need to have both the apps installed on the phone.
The key to success here is reliability. Google Duo has the might of Google’s vast technology reserves backing it up against any technical shortfalls. It will be interesting to see how this partnership shapes up against the juggernaut called WhatsApp. What are your thoughts on this. Please share them here in the comments.
