Google Voice finally debuts in the App Store

November 16, 2010 By Molly McHugh

Apple has approved the Google Voice app for its App Store, and the free VoIP is better than ever for its official release.

Sure, iTunes now has the Beatles Anthology available for download, but Apple‘s got bigger news: the Google Voice app is here. It may not have warranted a full-page notice, but there are plenty of iPhone users out there celebrating Google Voice‘s long-coming availability in the App Store.

Prior to today, users were limited to using Google Voice on the Web only, but to fantastic results. It’s been wildly popular, allowing users to make international calls for pennies and send free unlimited texts – and all with Apple’s stiff disapproval. Apple claimed concerns over the app duplicating its own primary function and has allegedly been reviewing it since. This invited some attention from the FCC and FTC, and a year and half of subversive use later, here we are.

The app allows users to bundle multiple phone lines under one number, as well as transcribe voice mails. The dirt cheap international calling and free SMS service remains, and Google is even going to bolster the app with optional push notifications and quicker call connection.

And it is definitely more powerful than its Web-based counterpart, for anyone out there wondering if the app is worth installing (for free, mind you). While we can’t imagine anyone is really wondering that (again, emphasis on free app), the so-far glowing reviews (including this one from SlashGear) say it definitely is.

What’s also encouraging about the addition of the Google Voice app is what it means for the App Store. Apple’s approval process has had its fair share of critics, and it recently implemented some policy changes as a response to user and developer frustrations. Apple claimed it would be relaxing its restrictions for app guidelines, and adding Google Voice is a significant step in that direction.

Showing 13 comments

anon at 10:51pm 16th November 2010 It's easy to see what happens when you have a non-GSM based phone. The reason I say this is because data is seen being sent seconds after the phone call is placed, and then with CDMA your data then shuts off. The Google voice app, when you dial out, first sends data to the call center nearest to you, along with the phone number you are going to be calling. Once the information is received, Google voice 'answers' your call on its end (usually the first 3 rings are google's servers responding to your request) the rest is google connecting you to the person you dialed. Essentially this adds a little bit of time to your calls, but it isn't of a bad quality, and it makes for less confusion when you have multiple numbers.
zimax networks at 8:30pm 16th November 2010 Ya try to get a call from someone with an ip phone on their desk, the service is whack, doesn't work good if its going to an ip phone but who you gonna call that has a pots line?
Greg at 8:29pm 16th November 2010 I've been using the Google Voice app on my Blackberry for months, this is not anything new.
1. Jobo at 9:36pm 16th November 2010 Well duh. They didn't say it was.
Maverick at 8:22pm 16th November 2010 Had a look at google voice, "not available in your country" thats 10 seconds I'll never get back
LanceW at 7:33pm 16th November 2010 "Prior to today, users were limited to using Google Voice on the Web only." Is the author unaware that there were more than one Google voice applications (some more full featured than the new "official" app) available in the iTunes store for over a month? Apple had originally allowed these apps, then pulled them after the rejection of the official app, and then re-allowed them when they revamped their policy in late september. The only thing the official app brings to the table is push notifications (which is a big one). Unfortunately, it lacks any ability to control google voice settings (like which phones to forward to) which is a giant pain.
Mike at 6:50pm 16th November 2010 Wait a minute Kevin. VoIP = Voice Over Internet Protocol. I do not understand what you mean by " For it to be VoIP the call has to go over IP". Over the Internet Protocol? Do you not mean that in order for Google Voice to be VoIP it must travel over the Internet using one of the various protocols? I am certain that my iPhone sends my voice over WiFi to my router,a nd from there wirelessly to the providers router, and from there to a switch center. Is that not 'over the Internet" or at least part of the Internet. The fact that is does not use any of my cell minutes is evidence that it must be using the Internet for at least part of the haul if not all of it. How do you know where my call goes once it leaves my router? Do you work in the industry? if so it would be nice to have tome clairification. Thank you.
1. LanceW at 7:23pm 16th November 2010 You are both sort of wrong. Google voice uses VoIP in the middle, but on both ends (usually) it goes through a normal telephone connection. So, when you dial using GV from your iPhone, the app places a call through the normal phone application to a number at google (you can verify this by looking in your iPhone call logs or bill). From there, the connection goes through VoIP to another google call center where it is connected to a local phone connection to complete the call. This way, google avoids long distance calls charges, but connects to ordinary telephone systems. I say usually, because GV is capable of placing or receiving a call through google talk, which doesn't require a phone connection on that end. This is not enabled on the iPhone though. So yes, using google voice does not save you cell phone minutes. It will often cost you additional minutes because you lose the ability to get free mobile to mobile minutes when dialing other AT&T users.
  1. TheBigMan_OhYeah at 7:38pm 16th November 2010 That was the google voice website made specifically for the iphone, dude. It initiated a call on the cellphone. This is different.
    LanceW at 9:57am 17th November 2010 Try it. You are wrong. Make a call from GV app. Check your cell phone call logs. As I already explained.
2. Jake at 7:49pm 16th November 2010 The Google Voice application referred to in this article absolutely uses voice minutes. If you are on an unlimited plan, you may not realize this. You can even see the phone number it dials on the cell network when you click Dial. It uses the built in Phone app on the iPhone. Why not try and put your phone in Airplane Mode then enable Wi-Fi. You'll see that you will not be able to make calls. Also, the way you describe VOIP, practically anything qualifies if the calls hits the Internet at some point. Most people when they talk about a VOIP service or VOIP application mean that the call terminates on the Internet like Vonage. There are also many true VOIP applications for the iPhone such as Skype.
Kevin at 6:21pm 16th November 2010 "...the free VoIP is better than ever for its official release." Google Voice isnt VoIP, it is a call redirection service. For it to be VoIP the call has to go over IP. Google Voice uses regular voice minutes and does not go over the phone's data plan.
vincent at 6:19pm 16th November 2010 Sweet now Google needs to make a Google news app!