It can be easier and more convenient to have a video call with someone instead of a regular phone call, especially if you need to switch from voice to video to show the person on the other end of the line. Google could make this possible for Android by improving the video calling experience in the Google Phone app.
Android Authority reports that some Google Pixel owners have discovered a new feature in the Phone app that lets them seamlessly switch between voice calls and Google Meet video calls with one tap. The feature is currently in testing so will only be visible to a limited number of Pixel users, but it could be a prelude to a full rollout. And since the Google Phone app isn’t exclusive to Google devices, there’s a distinct possibility that the voice-to-video option will roll out to other Android phones as well.
Before Meet became Google’s preferred video conferencing platform, there was Google Duo which was merged with Meet in 2022. While Google Meet has always been considered a business tool in Google’s services, it has become an everyday resource for 1-2-1 video conferencing.
With the introduction of this new call switching feature, Google could finally expand the services of its video communications platform for daily chats, in a similar way to how FaceTime is integrated with the iPhone dialer.
If you’re one of the lucky Google Pixel users who have access to the new feature, you can find it when you make a regular phone call in the Google Phone app. A small ‘Video Call’ chip appears above the keyboard, mute and speaker buttons, which starts a video call with the person on the other end of the line, with the phone ringing without interrupting the active voice call.
It can be a very useful addition to the Google Phone experience. However, keep in mind that switching from voice to video only works if both callers have the Google Meet app installed. If you want to switch to a video call with someone who doesn’t have the app installed, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can invite them to use Google Meet, along with a compose message button; we assume Google will roll out this feature to more Pixel and Android phones.