Google Meet ad takes on Zoom with 'free-for-all' proposition

The need of the hour is to stay connected - even if it's from a distance. In the midst of split screens, Google reminds us to use video calls creatively.

As the world continues to be in the grips of the Coronavirus pandemic, staying indoors, practicing social distancing and self-isolation is the need of the hour. This has changed the way we communicate, and now it's all about video calling for important life events. This is the theme of Google's new ad - a reminder to stay virtually connected, even though we're physically apart.

The ad informs internet users that Google's product can meet their needs. As of April, Google Meet is free (for use) for all users. This ad comes at a time when users are raising privacy concerns over the usage of Zoom, one of the most popular video conferencing apps since work from home became the new normal.

In a blog post, Javier Soltero, vice president and GM, G Suite, writes that since January, Meet’s peak daily usage has grown by 30x. As of April, Meet hosted three billion minutes of video meetings, and added roughly three million new users daily. The post also mentions that in the last week of April, Meet’s daily meeting participants surpassed 100 million.

Soltero writes that privacy and confidentiality of users is paramount, despite the nature of information being shared. "Whether it’s a doctor sharing confidential health information with a patient, a financial advisor hosting a client meeting, or people virtually connecting with each other for graduations, holidays and happy hours. Our approach to security is simple: Make products safe by default. We designed Meet to operate on a secure foundation, providing the protections needed to keep our users safe, their data secure, and their information private."

Google Meet will be free to use for schools, colleges, hospitals and other institutions as well. "Whether it’s hospitals supporting patients via telehealth, banks working with loan applicants, retailers assisting customers remotely, or manufacturers interacting safely with warehouse technicians, businesses across every industry are using Meet to stay connected. If you’re one of the six million companies and organisations that use G Suite to power remote productivity, you already have access to Meet. Admins simply need to enable Meet by following instructions outlined on our Help Center," concludes the post.