Google rolling out an update that simplifies Hangouts video calls on the web

Today in a Google+ post, Google software engineer Eduardo Fernández announced that Hangouts users on the web would be getting a new update that seeks to improve the overall quality of video calls while simplifying the interface.

Fernández claims that the goal of this update is to help make users less concerned with navigation, allowing them to focus on the conversation at hand. Hangouts on the web will load calls faster, have a more intuitive UI, and the team has made adjustments to the way Hangouts renders video so as to make image quality sharper and cleaner. Google has been using this updated version of Hangouts for some time now, but Fernández cautions that these changes are still in their infancy. We can probably expect some further tweaking somewhere down the line.

For those frightened and unsettled by change, Google has added the option to revert to the old interface. To do so, simply click the menu at the top right of Hangouts on the web and select “Original version.”

So far, these changes are not available for those using Google Apps for Work. Only a small number of Hangouts users have received this update so far, but Google plans to expand the scope of the update in the coming days. Keep an eye on your Hangouts interface over the next week or two, and see if you like the changes the team has been working on.