Google adds free voice calling to Google Hangouts for iOS, incoming calls to Google Voice

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
The Google Hangouts iOS app received a major update on Friday, with the latest iteration bringing free in-app voice calling to numbers within the U.S. and Canada, as well as incoming call support to a user's Google Voice number.

Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts for iOS version 1.3.0 allows iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners to place in-app phone calls to any number in the United States and Canada. The new feature brings the software in line with Google Hangouts for desktop computers, which already boasts the functionality.

For now, free calling is limited to North America, though international calls can be made for a fee. In addition, users can now receive calls to their Google Voice numbers, which can be setup to ring the app directly.

Finally, the messaging side of the app now supports inline animated GIFs, while incoming messages will only pause music instead of stopping the track completely.

Google Hangouts for iOS is a free 12.5MB download from the App Store.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 54
    kesemkesem Posts: 28member
    I already can make free calls both foreign and domestic using FaceTime. Nothing new here for me.
  • Reply 2 of 54
    r00fusr00fus Posts: 245member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Kesem View Post



    I already can make free calls both foreign and domestic using FaceTime. Nothing new here for me.

    I had no idea that was possible - how can I ring someones landline using FaceTime?

  • Reply 3 of 54

    Not needed on iOS.

     

    FaceTime Voice is built-in and perfectly integrated.  Thank You.

  • Reply 4 of 54
    dcj001dcj001 Posts: 301member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Kesem View Post



    I already can make free calls both foreign and domestic using FaceTime. Nothing new here for me.

     

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by r00fus View Post

     

    I had no idea that was possible - how can I ring someones landline using FaceTime?


     

    You cannot (unless the person who receives the call has FaceTime).

  • Reply 5 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DCJ001 View Post

     

     

     

     

    You cannot (unless the person who receives the call has FaceTime).


     

    Who the hell wants to talk to an Android user?

  • Reply 6 of 54

    Damn, that's a nice feature. Presumably Google's paying for the calls, but will this be profitable enough (in terms of advertising impressions or data) to justify rolling it out outside the US? We'll have to wait and see. I also can't imagine the carriers are very happy about this.

  • Reply 7 of 54
    I am a foreigner and have a google voice number via my friend. This is nice to me as apparently I got a US "mobile" number on my iPhone and my friend & business partner can ring me without paying long distance fee.
  • Reply 8 of 54
    darklite wrote: »
    Damn, that's a nice feature. Presumably Google's paying for the calls, but will this be profitable enough (in terms of advertising impressions or data) to justify rolling it out outside the US? We'll have to wait and see. I also can't imagine the carriers are very happy about this.

    I would actually think they love it. Most carriers have gone to (and are pushing) their mobile share plans. These plans have unlimited calls and texts, but charge for data. This (along with FaceTime and iMessage) uses data. So it is a win for them.
  • Reply 9 of 54
    droidftwdroidftw Posts: 1,009member

    How long before DED writes a giant article about how Hangouts on iOS got free voice calling before Hangouts on Android and that Android is terrible because of it and then throws in a bunch of unrelated things as well while citing himself as his reference?  <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 10 of 54
    Hey AI... There a reason why you're not reporting on this:

    http://www.apple.com/support/macbookair-flashdrive/

    I'd say a big recall of a major product is pretty newsworthy.
  • Reply 11 of 54
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member

    Does anyone understand what Google's strategy is? I don't. They just seem to look for anything that technological change has made possible to now do for free, and do it.

  • Reply 12 of 54
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    ascii wrote: »
    Does anyone understand what Google's strategy is? I don't. They just seem to look for anything that technological change has made possible to now do for free, and do it.

    That is their MO. Though it looks like they put in the effort to make that software as ugly and unintuitive as possible.
  • Reply 13 of 54
    ascii wrote: »
    Does anyone understand what Google's strategy is? I don't. They just seem to look for anything that technological change has made possible to now do for free, and do it.
    Free today yes, build up user base, then target with ads etc., ads is where they make their money.,,
  • Reply 14 of 54
    Cash:

    It is a big recall? It's not effecting my laptop. Yours? Or are you just being pissy and happy to see a first rate company assist with not so regular component issues?

    I would hate to be that guy constantly looking and wishing for the next guys things to break in order to justify my painfully cheap spending habits. Sorry for you.





    If
  • Reply 15 of 54
    No thanks. Will stick with FaceTime for video calls or wifi calls and mobile or land line for all others. If YouTube wasn't part of Google I would ditch google altogether.
  • Reply 16 of 54
    You must be smoking that free junk again.

    No one is gonna brag: "here first" crap with anything Android.

    It only matters if you think Google and "free"
    mean value and you don't care about privacy issues. Most 'droid users happily trade privacy for a free cup of coffee, atleast they all have a place to go to.

    Social (anything) is always associated with free. You already know that so why play coy and suggest Apple and FREE TO ANYBODY go together.

    No thank you, I'm great with FaceTime technology. Safe and Secure.

    Google can keep it's hands off my personal conversations. Lolol!

    Keep losing FTL

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/06/17/apple-claims-it-encrypts-imessages-and-facetime-so-that-even-it-cant-read-them/






    droidftw wrote: »
    How long before DED writes a giant article about how Hangouts on iOS got free voice calling before Hangouts on Android and that Android is terrible because of it and then throws in a bunch of unrelated things as well while citing himself as his reference?  :lol:
  • Reply 17 of 54
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Scafe2 View Post





    Free today yes, build up user base, then target with ads etc., ads is where they make their money.,,

    Yes, if you make your money with ads, then looking for free things to pin them on makes sense...

     

    But then that should make Google fairly predictable to a company like Apple that is in California and has their finger on the tech pulse, because they will know what tech changes are coming soon, and therefore what will soon possibly be free that wasn't before.

  • Reply 18 of 54
    jason98jason98 Posts: 768member
    Apple should stop being lazy and add land line calling to FaceTime Audio, sorta what they did for iMessage/SMS
    So would be same as the hangouts but without privacy issues and one less reason to install a google app.
  • Reply 19 of 54
    Works great so far. I set it up on my mom's ipad4 so she can talk and text my sister who has a gs3.
  • Reply 20 of 54
    Originally Posted by jason98 View Post

    Apple should stop being lazy and add land line calling to FaceTime Audio, sorta what they did for iMessage/SMS

     

    Yes. It’s “laziness” that prevents them from doing this. Not hundreds of regulations, millions in fees, and forcing FaceTime to be a paid service for the first time ever.

     

    Come on.

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