Google is continuing its offer of free unlimited Meet calls through March of 2021 for Gmail accounts after originally setting a date of Sept. 30.
The move will help keep users of the free service connected with one another after Google in April made its videoconferencing and collaboration product free for anyone with a Gmail account. The move helped organizations stay connected as they transitioned to remote work and helped students learn once the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of schools.
In a blog post, group product manager for Google Meet Samir Pradhan said the company wants to continue to provide the free service.
When we re-engineered the service we built for secure business meetings and made it available to all, we also made calls unlimited (well, the limit is really 24 hours, but I’ve yet to hit the limit) through September 30, so that people could enjoy the same benefits as our business users with their existing Google Account.
From book clubs, band practices and dance parties–millions of you have turned to Meet to connect safely over video.
As we look ahead to a holiday season with less travel and important milestones like family reunions, PTA meetings and weddings hosted over video, we want to continue helping those who rely on Meet to stay in touch over the coming months.
As a sign of our commitment, today we’re continuing unlimited Meet calls (up to 24 hours) in the free version through March 31, 2021 for Gmail accounts.
This means users will continue to be able to use Google Meet from Gmail, the mobile app or at meet.google.com.
In the blog, Pradhan also details several new features, like the ability to join hands-free on a Nest Hub Max, cast calls to a TV, background blur and digital whiteboarding.
Many other videoconferencing platforms made their services free, added new freemium features or expanded the limits of free services, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting and others.
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