First , the Beatles get in on iTunes ; now , withGoogle ’s official Google Voice appshowing up on the App Store , you might be influence to think that the end metre are upon us . But sure enough , the controversial program is in conclusion available .
The new client brings most of Google Voice ’s features to the iPhone , including spare text messaging , voice mail written text , and bum outside call . In addition , the app sports push notifications that can alert you when you have a new text edition message or voicemail . And because you sign in to your Google Voice account , all of your contacts are already at your fingertips , in an interface evocative of the iPhone ’s own earphone lotion .
All you need to expend the barren app is an iPhone — sorry , there ’s apparently no support for iPod contact or iPads at present , even for the non - phone features — run iOS 3.1 or later and a free Google Voice account ; presently , the app is available only to U.S. residents . Keep in thinker that Google Voice isnota Voice over IP service — it still uses your actual phone , and thus your minutes , to make calls . Think of it as a service to juice up your existing phone capabilities , not replace them .
While the app itself is a welcome summation for many iOS users , the signification goes beyond just the software package . In July 2009 , Appleremoved all third - political party Google Voice applications from the App Store , advert the potency for user confusedness as the inherent understanding . That conclusion ignite into a disputation over Apple ’s App Store policies , finally even prompting the FCC to get involved . In its answer to the government activity agency in August 2009 , Apple aver that it had not actually pass up Google ’s own Voice customer for the iPhone , as earliest reports had suggested — rather , it was continuing to “ take ” the app .
Since then , the two tech firms have been lock in a unknown relationship that vacillates between veiled hostility and cooperation , with the Google Voice rejection taking the function ofthe assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinandin the two companies ’ burgeon dispute . Not long after the Google Voice fiasco , Google CEO Eric Schmidt step down from his position on Apple ’s plank , with Apple CEO Steve Jobs citing increase areas of competition between the two companies as an account .
There was little movement on a Google Voice app in the intervening metre , as the official app stay in Apple ’s studious limbo . In January , Google publish an HTML5 World Wide Web app for Voice that lick well on the iPhone , but miss many of the niceties of a aboriginal customer . But there was no movement on iPhone apps for the service until September of this year , when Apple officially published its App Store approval guidelines . concisely thereafter , the company also lift course andapproved third - company Google Voice client for the App Store once again , leading many to suggest that the official customer would soon watch over , as indeed it now has .
But why now ? Perhaps today , of all days , Apple was exhort by the words of its much vaunted ikon and decided to simply let it be .
