Google Beam Hands-On: The Most Lifelike 3D Video Calling That Didn’t Totally Blow Me Away

During Google I/O 2025, I was captivated by Google Beam, a 3D video calling technology inspired by Project Starline. While it felt like a significant leap forward, replicating real conversations in 3D proved challenging. The system stitch together 2D feeds into create a lifelike 3D image, and while the experience was engaging, it had notable flaws: jittery animations, restricted camera angles, and gaps in depth perception when looking at someone’s back. My brief interaction with Google Beam left me wondering if it would ever rival real-life conversations but ultimately felt surprisingly natural for such cutting-edge tech.