- Google created Companion mode for Meet to offer a second screen for people in hybrid calls.
- Originally available for computers, last year Google expanded access to Android and iOS.
- Today Companion mode is getting an update to optimize it for tablets and foldables.
Finding yourself stuck in a meeting can be a real slog, and it’s a situation that’s made all the worse when you feel like you’re not particularly seen, or able to interact with other participants in a meaningful way. Earlier this decade, the pandemic super-charged development of remote access tools for companies everywhere, and that included Google Meet. One feature born of that era is Meet’s Companion mode, and today we’re learning about a long-overdue upgrade for it when it comes to Android tablets and foldables.
In case you’re not already familiar, Google launched Companion mode for Meet back in 2022. Envisioned as a second-screen solution for hybrid meetings, Companion mode would let you appear in a meeting as part of a group — for instance, if your in-office team gathered in a conference room to interact with remote colleagues — while also having access to Meet on a personal laptop. On that secondary Companion mode view, you could do stuff like react with emoji, participate in polls, keep up with chat, or even share your screen — while your video and audio are handled by another device.