Google Meet is copying Zoom's method for quickly unmuting
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| Illustration by Alex Castro/ The Verge |
Now that Google has combined the Meet and Duo apps, it is adding a Zoom function to the mix in an overly complicated procedure. According to a post on the Google Workspace blog, Google Meet will soon allow you to unmute yourself by simply holding down the spacebar and mute yourself again by releasing it.
This feature may sound a lot like Zoom's push-to-talk feature if you use it frequently; this is because they serve roughly the same purposes. Zoom obviously didn't invent this feature; walkie-talkies are to thank for that. However, Zoom makes this feature conveniently available during video conferences, which is helpful if you want to speak up during a meeting but don't want to be unmuted for too long. Similar functionality is available in Cisco's Webex, while Microsoft Teams allows you to unmute with the key combination Ctrl + Spacebar.
It may take up to 15 days until you see the shortcut that Google says it will begin distributing to all Workspace users on September 9th. When it does, it won't be on by default; you'll need to do this through Google Meet's settings.
Confusion abounds as a result of Google's efforts to unite Duo and Meet, which have left us with the new Meet app (which combines both Duo and Meet) as well as the original Meet app, the old Meet app, and a shortcut from Duo to Meet. It's a concept that could only come from Google.
However, since Google will ultimately stop supporting the Meet (Original) app, I'm not entirely sure if the new push-to-talk feature will also be available in the new Google Meet app. The Verge contacted Google to ask for clarification, but it didn't receive a response right away.
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