Ask HN: Why does no one seem to be using Google Duo?

I would never use a Google messages product after their routine bungling. It is a running joke. They have to fire all their VPs and PMs responsible for the array of messaging apps and come up with ONE cohesive app.

From everything I've read its a result of the culture at Google, where promotions are given to those who come up with something new, not to those who take something existing and make it great.

Because why would anyone adopt a Google-owned messaging system after seeing their history of messing this up?

Duo is garbage for chat. Its as if they never used SMS or anything similar. Unusable.

I've also used it for video calls. We had connection issues and swapped over to Houseparty (!) to get group chat working fast. That was stable as a rock. Excellent. And we played Uno during the meeting. Bonus.

But Duo seems ok now. For video calls we now use it and are happy enough. So, take that for what its worth. We'll continue using it until it is mysteriously cancelled next year.

You can pry my "hangouts" from my cold dead body.