- November 16, 2010 2:33 pm
It’s been a long, long, looooong road — a submittal, removal, argument, and dry spell signaling there was no hope. But it appears that all is well in the world. Google announced via their blog that Apple has just released the official Google Voice app for iOS into the App Store.
Features:
- Display your Google Voice number as caller ID when making calls.
- Free text messaging to U.S. users
- Cheap rates for international calls
- Calls placed with Direct Access Numbers: Allows calls to connect just as quickly as regular phone calls.
You can pick up Google Voice for free in the App Store starting today. Requirements include iOS 3.1 and a valid Google Voice account.
Download [iTunes Link]
SMS rates are highway robbery/rape. Why put up with them when there are so many other alternatives to communicating? But I understand that having the option is something a lot of people want. On the iOS platform, however, Apple made it really difficult to circumnavigate AT&T’s official offerings. Although, the last couple of months have seen a drastic step back in regards to the heavy handed approach, causing countless devs behind previously rejected apps to re-submit their work for another shot.
One such app is “Infinite SMS”. Put basically: it allows you to send and receive SMS messages via your Google Voice account, replacing the built app and getting around AT&T’s craptastic SMS rates. For the GV junkies out there packin’ an iPhone, this looks to be your lucky day and new favorite app. Pick it up in the App Store now for $1.
If you’re one of the handful of people who haven’t managed to snag a Google Voice invite yet, your wait and frustration are now over. Google has officially taken the “invite-only” status off of Google Voice. You know what that means? STOP paying extra for visual voicemail add-ons from whatever US carrier you currently have (assuming you have a smartphone that is), since Google Voice is ultimately leaps and bounds ahead of said options as well as pulling off that feat completely free! Add on the fact that SMS and email transcriptions are also available for Google Voice subscribers as well as the ability to have up to 10 separate numbers/devices ring/alerted when your GV number is called.
Ok, the transcriptions might be sketchy at best. But there’s no denying the usefulness that Google Voice offers. If you have the option to install Google Voice on your device, now is the time.
Oh yeah — US only for now. Sorry folks.
Score one big one for the consumer. It seems months of bitching from consumers and the FCC alike have finally gotten AT&T to open up. The ridiculous ban on VoIP apps is now no more. iPhone users should especially find this good news as several apps (including Google Voice) are now technically “legal” under AT&T’s new ToS. Yesterday we saw Vonage slip into the App Store which raised a few flags as it broke several previous rules of AT&T’s ToS. Look for many more VoIP apps to become a lot more useful now that AT&T has found a small pocket of warmth and compassion for us consumers.
In case you were wondering whether or not this clears the path for Google Voice — we’re still skeptical. Not to mention, Google Voice isn’t technically VoIP. (TechCrunch does a good job explaining that here). While it will now fit within AT&T’s rules, (…more parenthesis…AT&T “claims” to have had no hand in getting GV rejected), Apple’s double standard laden, BS rules concerning “duplicating phone features” still stands in the way. We all know how the Vonage app doesn’t duplicate the dialer in any way at all……/sarcasm. We shall see. The proverbial ball is in Apple’s court now. Come oooooon Google Voice.
Other types of data hungry apps such as video streaming services like iSlingplayer are still on the outs with Big Blue however as this new change is “strictly for VoIP”. Hey, at least it’s progress folks.
Ars Technica
The Google Voice/Apple/iPhone drama has died down recently, though behind the scenes as far as the FCC is concerned, is still very much a pressing issue. Even though it isn’t as big of a deal currently in the mainstream media, this drama is far from over. The recent approvals on both the Vongae and Skype apps highlight one glaring problem: Apple (1) is a hypocrite and (2) support double standards. What do I mean? The Vonage and Skype apps are pretty much the same as the rejected Google Voice app in that they allow you to make VoIP phone calls on the cheap and replace the phone’s custom dialer (when inside of the app…since you have to launch it every time you want to use it). Those two things are precisely why Google Voice was rejected. Anyone see through the BS?
The only thing that becomes apparent now is that Apple is afraid of Google and GV from growing in popularity. One thing is for sure, these double standards and App Store inconsistencies are beginning to really leave a bad taste in my mouth. Ya ya I know, I don’t have to use an iPhone. That argument is completely baseless and has no relevance to this issue. It is much bigger than just you or I. It is about an entire industry. The coming weeks will be very interesting indeed. How will the FCC respond? Apple? Google?
Of course, if the FCC backs down and becomes useless again, we can always turn to Cydia and the jailbreaking scene to once again fix what Apple has ruined…
