Google launches Duo to compete with FaceTime, Skype and Messenger

Google is ready to take on Apple's Face Time, Microsoft's Skype and Facebook's Messenger with its newly launched video chat app 'Duo'.

"Today, we're releasing Google Duo - a simple 1-to-1 video calling app available for Android and iOS. Duo takes the complexity out of video calling, so that you can be together in the moment wherever you are," the company posted on its official blog.

To get started on Duo, all you need is your phone number and you'll be able to reach people in your phone's contacts list. No separate account is required.

The company claims that the video chat app will switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data automatically without dropping your call.

Duo comes with a new feature called 'Knock Knock' which gives you a 'live video' of your caller before you take the call.

The new app, originally announced in May, is being released as a free service for phones running on Google's Android operating system as well as Apple's iPhones.

Google claims that all Duo calls are end-to-end encrypted.