Google Meet calls with three or more participants -
basically, any group video conference - are now limited to 60 minutes for free
users with personal Gmail accounts. Google had lifted this cap in September
2020 due to the pandemic, but has now decided to reinstate it.
Over the past year, free Google Meet users with
personal accounts have been able to use the platform's group calls without a
time limit. As of July 1st, Google notes that this is no longer the case. The
time limit was supposed to be enforced in September 2020, but the deadline was
pushed back to March 2021. This offer was later extended until June 2021 in
order to compete with rival Zoom, Skype, and all other popular video
conferencing platforms. However, the offer is no longer being extended.
All “calls with 3 or more participants” will be
limited to 60 minutes. “At 55 minutes, everyone receives an alert that the call
is about to end. The host can upgrade their Google account to extend the call.
Otherwise, the call will be terminated after 60 minutes,” Google explains.
It's worth noting that free users can still have
one-on-one conversations for up to 24 hours. Unfortunately, for those who are
used to using Google Meet for virtual hangouts with friends and family, the
group video call limitation may be a barrier.
The Google-mentioned upgrade is the $7.99
(approximately Rs 740) per month Workspace Individual tier, which is currently
available in only five countries: the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil,
and Japan. After upgrading to a paid plan, one can host calls for up to 24
hours.
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