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And it’s over! Google sent a statement to users telling them that Meet meetings with three or more people will again have a maximum limit of one hour. The change had already been announced at least a year ago, but it was put into practice now, in August, and to continue using the platform without time restrictions, it is necessary to subscribe to Google One.
If you don’t want to subscribe to a Google plan to have access to unlimited video calls, you can use some other alternatives, such as WhatsApp Messenger, which now allows up to 32 people on a video call this year, or Microsoft’s Skype, that accepts meetings of up to 100 people completely free of charge.
At the beginning of the pandemic, videoconferencing platforms, such as Google Meet and Zoom, became much more used than they normally were. If there was still some resistance to video meetings, it was completely overcome, as the measures to combat the coronavirus prevented face-to-face meetings and companies had to continue operating.
Due to the huge demand for this type of service, videoconferencing platforms have received major updates to optimize their service and bring useful features to the user. Removing the cap was one of those changes that took place during the pandemic and now, with a scenario where people are returning to normal life, the tech giant has chosen to restrict the service again.
Another explanation for this event may be financial, since, according to a report released by Alphabet, the company that controls Google, revenue in the first half of 2022 was 11% lower than the same period of the previous year. The strategy of capping Meet can be a strategy to increase second half revenue and offset first half year losses.
