Google Meet launches 360° animated backgrounds

Google Meet has just acquired a new feature this Wednesday, February 23, 2023. From now on, users will be able to apply 360° animated wallpapers during their videoconferences on smartphones and tablets. Handy if you want to disguise your background with a nice beach.

Since the explosion of videoconferencing services during the pandemic, the major players in High-Tech have been trying somehow to impose their in-house solutions. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Skype, the choice is endless.

Regarding Google Meet, the Mountain View company has multiplied new features over the past two years, with the introduction of ambient noise reduction, or the possibility of blurring the background.

In 2021, the one that replaced Hangouts Meet got realistic live wallpapers, which may change depending on local weather or time of day. And justly, the American company has just moved up a gear in this area.

After a short test phase with a small selection of users, Google has just announced on the Google Workspace blog the arrival of new 360° video backgrounds. Currently two in number, namely a beautiful beach and a temple, these animated backgrounds are added to the collection of immersive backgrounds available.

Animated backgrounds that use your smartphone’s gyroscope

What is the difference ? It’s very simple, these animated backgrounds use the gyroscope function from your smartphone or tablet to reproduce your position in a virtual environment. In other words, when you turn the camera, the scenery moves simultaneously to create “a dynamic experience“. Useful if you want to make your colleagues believe that you are taking it easy at the beach.

As the manufacturer points out, administrators have the ability to enable or disable animated backgrounds for their users. For those who don’t like the beach. For now, this feature is being rolled out, and according to Google, it will be available to everyone within a fortnight.

Finally for all, not quite. In effect, only Google Workspace and G Suite customers will be able to take advantage of it. For others, you will have to be patient and hope that the firm decides to extend the availability of this nice feature.