Google Meet to Support 360-Degree Backgrounds on Android and iOS, Emoji Reactions Rolling Out: Report

Google Meet will reportedly be updated with support for immersive 360-degree backgrounds on Android and iOS devices. The feature will be rolled out in the future with background options including a beach, oasis, sky city, and a mountain temple, according to a report. The company has also announced that it will also roll out support for new emoji reactions to the in-meeting experience. Users will be able to express themselves during a meeting by using these emoji, according to Google.

According to a 9to5Google report, Google will bring 360-degree backgrounds that move along with the user to Google Meet soon. The feature will reportedly use the gyroscope or orientation data from the smartphone to function. The upcoming background features will be videos that will move independently of the 360-degree motion, as per the report, and will include background themes like a beach, oasis, sky city, or a mountain temple.

The report also includes a short clip of the Google Meet 360-degree backgrounds to demonstrate how it will look when it is rolled out. Google will reportedly roll out these 360-degree backgrounds in the coming weeks on Android as well as iOS. It will be accessible for both consumers and paid Workspace users.

Google Meet already offers static background wallpapers, blur effects, video and moving backgrounds, and styles (such as monochrome and sepia), and face filters.

Meanwhile, Google has announced that it is also bringing emoji reactions to Google Meet, enabling users to express themselves in the meeting. The tech giant has added heart, thumbs-up, party popper, wave, joy, astonished, thinking, cry, and thumbs-down emoji to the app. Users can select the “smile” icon in Meet’s control bar, and then select the emoji they want to use to express themselves. They can even select a skin tone. The feature is currently available on Google Meet for Web, iOS devices, and Meet hardware devices, according to the company.