Question Google Meet

[dbsalk]

I'm having a challenge with Google Meet: when I try to use the app to call my wife, the video switches off and it just becomes a normal phone call. She's able to video call me without any issues, though.

I'm using a Pixel 8 Pro. She's using an iPhone 13.

When I search for help topics relevant to Google Meet, it seems most of them are geared towards people WFH and using Meet on their desktop, which doesn't help me. I haven't been able to find anyone asking a similar question.

 

[B. Diddy]

Are you initiating the call from the Phone app, the Contacts app, or directly from Google Meet (either the actual Meet app or the Meet interface in the Gmail app)?

 

[dbsalk]

Good question. I've tried all of the above.

If I initiate a video call from the Phone or Contacts apps, shouldn't the call be defaulted to Meet? Or is that a setting I need to adjust?

 

[B. Diddy]

If I initiate a video call from the Phone or Contacts apps, shouldn't the call be defaulted to Meet? Or is that a setting I need to adjust?

I'm not entirely sure myself. In the past, at least, I know that some carriers were known to throw their own video calling solutions into the Phone app. Even though Pixels are pretty much free of 3rd party bloat, it's possible that the carrier might have automatically installed some of its own stuff when the phone was activated.

But the standalone Google Meet app shouldn't suddenly drop down to a regular voice call. When you call your wife using Google Meet, does she see it initially come through on her Meet app on her iPhone?

 

[dbsalk]

I'm pretty sensitive about bloatware, and certain T-Mobile doesn't have any on my phone.

On our most recent attempt, she answered, but couldn't hear me. Meanwhile, on my end, it kept ringing until I got the popup to leave a message.

This is giving my wife an excuse to trash Android and tell me I should get an iPhone (something I'll never do).

 

[B. Diddy]

It's been a while since I tried a Google Meet call with my daughter (who has an iPhone), so I'm not sure if there are any special settings on the iPhone that have to be selected before a call can go through (like granting permission to the app for the mic and/or camera). Are you able to make a test call to your wife's iPhone with it in your hand so you can see what the Google Meet app on her phone might need for the call to go through?

Remind her that if Apple weren't so monopolistic and tried to work a little better to be cross-platform (<cough>iMessage<cough>), she wouldn't have to tell you to get an iPhone.

 

[dbsalk]

I think we're making headway. The last few video calls we've tried have gone through without issue. I'm not sure what, if anything, has changed on either end.

One guess I have for the problem occurring in the first place is that there are two apps for Google Meet. There's the legacy Duo app that was coverted to Meet in an update aka "Google Meet (original)" and then the new Google Meet app that was never Duo. I'm guessing my wife has the old version on her phone, and therein lies the problem. I love Google's apps, but maybe if they would take the "if it ain't broke don't fix it approach," the apps would have more universal appeal.

My wife has COVID right now and is quarantining. She may as well be in another state, so there's no good way for me to check her phone.

Remind her that if Apple weren't so monopolistic and tried to work a little better to be cross-platform (<cough>iMessage<cough>), she wouldn't have to tell you to get an iPhone.

Amen. Thanks for the support!

 

[B. Diddy]

Ugh, sorry to hear about the wife's ailment -- hope she gets well soon!

I certainly agree about Google's decentralized approach to most things, especially messaging. I'm one of those people who was perfectly happy with Hangouts, especially when it could integrate SMS/MMS messaging as well!

 

[BEaRebel]

Loved Hangouts.

 

[dbsalk]

Following up for the sake of science: just for [redacted by Mod] and giggles, I used Meet to video call my mother. She's 81 years old and barely knows how to operate her Pixel 6. I don't know if the bigger miracle is that she picked up the call with no issues or that the video call went through seamlessly (I would expect it to between two Pixel phones using a Google app, but you never know).