Google Meet releases a 360-degree virtual background for video calls

As you can see in the embedded GIF, the 360-degree background will change depending on the location of your phone or tablet. So if you move your phone left or right, your background will adjust to show different scenes. Google says users can apply “several” new 360-degree backgrounds during video calls, including one that shows a beach and another that shows a cathedral.

While the feature looks pretty cool, I can see how these backgrounds could be distracting if you’re on a call with someone who’s constantly moving their phone. However, they’re probably not as obnoxious as Meet’s collection of Snapchat-like filters, which currently includes one that turns you into a cat and another that puts your face on a strawberry.

Last month, Google started rolling out emoji reactions for Meet, including heart, thumbs up, party popper, clap, happy, surprise, thinking, crying, and thumbs down emojis, but it still has a long way to go if that’s the case. wants to track the full library of Zoom feedback. Google is also in the process of gradually moving users to the new Meet app, which combines Duo’s features, and sent out its latest warnings last month that it was about to switch users.