Google is making video meetings on its platform, Google Meet, a more polished experience for mobile users with the introduction of portrait touch-up modes. These new features include skin smoothing and eye whitening, and they are set to address the desires of many Google Meet users who have been requesting such enhancements.
In an announcement, the tech giant revealed that the portrait touch-up functionality is initially launching for mobile users, and it will eventually expand to the web platform, albeit at a later date. Google expressed its aim to provide users with the option to lightly enhance their appearance, hoping this will boost their confidence during video calls.
Google Meet mobile users can now take advantage of two distinct portrait touch-up modes:
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Subtle Mode: This mode offers a subtle touch-up, including very light complexion smoothing, under-eye lightening, and eye whitening. It’s designed to provide a natural and minimalistic enhancement.
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Smoothing Mode: In this mode, users get slightly more complexion smoothing, under-eye lightening, and eye whitening. It provides a bit more refinement while maintaining a polished look.
The rollout of these portrait touch-up features commenced on October 28, 2023, and Google plans to ensure that they are available on Google Meet’s web platform by the end of the year.
It’s worth noting that portrait touch-up will not be enabled by default; users will have to activate it manually. This option is accessible to users with premium Google accounts, which include categories such as Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Education Plus, Google One, and Google Workspace Individual customers. However, users with personal Google accounts will not have access to this feature.
In summary, Google’s introduction of portrait touch-up modes for mobile users of Google Meet aims to cater to the growing demand for appearance-enhancing features during video meetings. These modes, offered in both subtle and smoothing options, are set to become a valuable addition to the platform’s functionality, promoting user comfort and confidence during video calls. This expansion of features reflects Google’s commitment to refining the video conferencing experience for its users, with a rollout to the web platform expected in the near future.
