Google Meet unlimited video calls for regular Gmail users being extended again

Google Workspace just tweeted out that standard Gmail account users would be given a bit more time to take advantage of Meet’s 24-hour ‘unlimited’ video calls. This is fantastic news and probably spawns out of the fact that many people are still facing lockdowns and difficulties connecting with one another. Originally, the ability to utilize Meet to contact virtually anyone with no need to subscribe to Workspace was supposed to end near the beginning of the year but was extended through March.

I imagine Google initially did this to be strategic against its video calling competitor, Zoom, which offered the same deal around the same time in order to help relieve users of pandemic stress. What’s more, Zoom became available on the Nest Hub Max – Google’s own hardware. The March extension for Zoom was also its second – originally pushing the date for free calls past Thanksgiving for the holidays.

We’re continuing unlimited #GoogleMeet calls (up to 24 hours) in the free version through June 2021 for Gmail accounts → https://t.co/fqBTmoNPBW pic.twitter.com/Ax0fmbRvqr

— Google Workspace (@GoogleWorkspace) March 30, 2021

If you’d like to use Google Meet as a standard Gmail account holder, you can do so now, and continue to do so until June 20, 2021, so mark your calendars! I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the company extended this date at least one more time as much of the future and the “new normal” as it’s being referred to, is yet to be known or determined. Society as a whole is still trying to figure this all out together, and big tech companies have truly stepped up to the plate in a big way to offer their services and innovations to the masses and lend a helping hand in a great time of need. I would love to see Meet go entirely free one day, but that may just be wishful thinking.