Google is making its Meet videoconferencing service free to anyone. Previously available only to enterprise users through its Gsuite subscriptions, Meet will be available free to anyone with an email account from early May. This follows increased adoption of video meetings during the coronavirus pandemic and a sharp increase in Meet usage.
Google said it plans a gradual roll-out of the free service, in order to ensure it remains secure and reliable. Users who are not able to activate Meet immediately can sign up to be notified later when it's available to them. The Meet service works over the web and dedicated Android and iOS apps.
The gradual approach follows problems at rival Zoom, which was forced to overhaul its security after massive adoption of its service from March. Zoom said its service was designed more with business users in mind and needed adapting for the consumer take-up.
Like other videoconferencing providers such as Microsoft and Cisco, Google said Meet has seen massive growth in the past month. The 30-fold increase in usage has led to Meet adding around 3 million new users and hosting some 3 billion minutes of video meetings each day.
In a statement, Google underlined the many default security features of Meet. These range from encrypted traffic and recordings to strict host controls and no anonymous users. Meet relies on the Google Cloud, which complies with all local data protection regulations and security audits, and Google pledged not to use any Meet data for advertising or to share with third parties. Furthermore, Meet users can sign up for Google’s Advanced Protection Program, which offers extra protection against phishing and account hijacking.
