It’s taken over a year, but the Google product originally submitted to Apple’s App Store is now available for download. The free Google Voice App allows you to take advantage of many of the features of the Google Voice service on your iPhone.
Originally, Apple had issue with the app because it mirrored functionality of the iPhone itself. The app lets you dial and call contacts directly from it, by calling the phone’s Call API and connecting you to your call through the Google Voice service number.
Calls placed through the Google Voice app show up on Caller ID with your Google Number so you can easily use the phone for two different purposes. For example, I use my iPhone as my personal line and now my business line which runs through Google Voice. All calls to my Google Voice number are routed to my iPhone and I can check voice mails and read transcriptions from within the app.
Unlike its Android counter-part, the iPhone Google Voice app does not completely take over all calling services for the iPhone. I’m not sure if this is a benefit or a curse as I can easily ensure that business calls show up from my business number with Google Voice, and my personal calls are all conducted natively through the iPhone phone feature. You never know when you’ll have a client that will call you non-stop on your personal line if they know they can reach you on it.
One of the best features of the app is that it uses Push notification to inform you of when you’ve missed calls and the number of the individual that was calling. This feature was not included with the web-based version of Google Voice that was how iPhone users had to access the service.
Another feature that makes Google Voice for the iPhone a must have app for Google Voice users is the Quick Dial feature. Save your most common calls on a screen that is easily accessed and reach out to them through Google voice with just a few taps on the iPhone.
Sending and receiving text messages through Google Voice is also an added benefit. If you’re keeping things cheap and not paying for the unlimited txt plain with AT&T you may want to off-load some of your texts to the Google Voice app. This will help you communicate and keep you within your monthly budget.
I believe that more and more individuals will be using their phones with multiple numbers now that Google Voice has become more readily available.
