Google Meet’s new companion mode makes hybrid work even better.
what you need to know
- Google introduces Companion Mode for Google Meet.
- Companion Mode allows meeting participants to use the device as a second screen to interact with the meeting.
- The new feature is compatible with Google Meet hardware and Nest Hub Max.
After announcing Google Meet’s companion mode last September, Google is finally rolling out the new Workspace account feature on devices like the Nest Hub Max.
Companion Mode is a neat feature from Google designed to tackle the new mix of work that many of us have grown accustomed to. It does this by allowing users to use assistive devices to participate in Google Meet meetings without any possible confusion or audio issues.
For example, if you have a meeting in a conference room, you can join in companion mode using the Meet hardware. This will take advantage of the audio and video in the meeting room, while still allowing you to participate in chat, polls and other features on your personal device.
Users can join meetings in companion mode by visiting g.co/companion or g.co/present on compatible hardware, the latter for those who want to share their screen.
Companion Mode is available on the web with Meet hardware and Nest Hub Max. Google said the devices will be prompted “when sending a chat message or initiating other interactive activities in a meeting.”
Participants joining the meeting in peer mode will be identified in the roster and each instance will be treated as a separate participant. Those users will also be hidden from the meeting tile unless they raise their hand “to provide maximum screen real estate for the video feed.”
Companion mode will gradually roll out starting January 13, while activity notifications on Meet hardware and Google’s best smart displays will start appearing on February 2, Google said.
mixed work
Nest Hub Max
$190 at Best Buy $189 at Google
Home and Work All-in-One
The Nest Hub Max is Google’s best smart display, thanks to its large display, great speakers, and front-facing camera. This makes it an ideal device for smart home control and hybrid work sessions.
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