Google Meet background blur for Android in the works

Google is testing background blur option for Meet on Android.

Google Meet was recently made free for everyone. (AP)

Google Meet app for Android will soon get background blur, a much needed feature as video meetings have become daily routine. Google is expected to roll out this feature for Meet soon.

The latest APK version of Google Meet reveals strings which mention background blur, as discovered by 9to5Google. Background blur is currently being tested with options to turn off/turn on, and disabled/enabled strings in the APK version.

Google will most likely release this feature first on Android. But there's no confirmation on it as yet. Google Meet competitors like Microsoft Teams and Zoom have had this feature for quite long. Google Meet doesn't have the option to use custom backgrounds either. So even background blur would only be a first step in comparison to rivals.

Google Meet does have other features like the option to limit background noise. This makes it possible for only the speaker's voice to be prominent and unnecessary background noise will be limited. Google also rolled out low light mode for Meet. It uses AI to enhance the video quality by making it brighter.

Google Meet is now free for everyone with a Gmail account. The premium features of Meet were earlier made free for everyone with a G Suite account. Google Meet was later made for all users including personal Google account holders. The app has also crossed 50 million downloads on Play Store, and it's adding 3 million users everyday.