Google Gets Its iPhone Voice

snydeq writes "Google has found a way to let iPhone owners use Google Voice, launching a Google Voice Web app that runs on iPhone 3.0 OS devices, as well as on Palm WebOS devices. The Google Voice application leverages HTML 5's functionality for running sophisticated Web applications on a browser at speeds matching those of native applications, Google said. The Google Voice-iPhone conflict is one of several issues putting the companies on a collision course, the latest of which involves Apple potentially courting Microsoft to tap Bing as the iPhone's default search."

Comments

Oh Apple, let the Apps through already!

[rolfwind]

You're just shooting yourself in the foot otherwise.

Re:Oh Apple, let the Apps through already!

[KronosReaver]

More than likely Apple does care, but just like the ban on tethering it is something AT&T is not willing to allow.

So yeah, it is banned in the Apple store, but probably due to AT&T rather than Apple.

Hopefully the iPhone being opened up to other carriers will mean a loosining of the restrictions as those carriers try and pull customers away from AT&T.

Either way though, I already retired my original iPhone for a Motorola Droid 2 months ago, with Google Voice and Tethering being two of the big reasons for doing so.

Really, why continue doing business with a company when it is clear that they have no interest in providing customers with the kind of service they want? (again talking about AT&T not Apple).

Re:Oh Apple, let the Apps through already!

[Sandbags]

Actually, speculation was the app is banned care of Verizon, not AT&T, as part of Apple's negotiation with them. See, on Verizon, ALL plan level support "my 5" and adding a google voice number to that, and using the convenience of the google native app, you could get unlimited free calling, and unlimited free texts, while paying only for the lowest possible plan tier.

Verizon has since (as well as AT&T) implemented a system for identifying google voice numbers, and will automatically remove them from your 5 if you add it, and backbill you for any minutes you might have used in excess of plan minutes otherwise. it is against their ToS to use a call redirection number in your fav list. until we find out for certain whether Verizon is in or out, i don;t expect Google voice to hit the device (unless the courts get involved).

Anyone else think...

[Anonymous Coward]

that the headline could have been a lot better?

Dear Apple

[Anonymous Coward]

I switched to Mac so I wouldn't have to use a Microsoft product ever again.

I'll keep using Google as my search engine, even if it means I have to use a bookmark instead of the search field!

Re:Dear Apple

[dingen]

Moving from iWork to MS Office can hardly be described as "upgrading".

Re:Google getting a bit too cocky.

[Attila Dimedici]

It's just you. If Google wants Google Voice to succeed in the market space they have positioned it for, users must be able to use it on the Iphone.

Woohoo!

[SixDimensionalArray]

Hmm.. first complex HTML5 app maybe?

I'm probably not the first person to say it, but thank GOODNESS somebody is pushing HTML and web markup tech forward again. Even though some folks don't like some of the new elements present in HTML5, at least it's progressing again. Let's hope this continues!

-6d

Re:Woohoo!

[Anonymous Coward]

Wait, you consider this to be a positive thing? HTML, CSS and JavaScript provide the least-desirable development platform that I've worked with in the past 20 years. I mean, compared to late-1980s technology like NeXTSTEP and its class libraries, the web is a massive step backwards. Even MFC development was more enjoyable.

And really, how is this progress? I mean, they're doing something that was possible using Flash five years ago, Java applets 10 years ago, and NPAPI plugins 15 years ago. That's not progress. That's just reinventing the wheel.

Re:Kind of scary that it works....

[dgatwood]

I don't think there is a way to get access to the microphone from a web page. On iPhone, Safari doesn't allow any plug-ins to load. From the description, it sounds like this just tells the phone to make a local call over the cell network to a special number that then forwards your call to the desired destination.

The next step

[Anonymous Coward]

Now if they can just manage to invent websites which let you check the weather or news, then the entire App Store model will be history!

Seriously, games I get, but for any app which is only useful when you're connected to the network anyway... why not just use a website?

Re:Google getting a bit too cocky.

[QuantumRiff]

Not really.. I run Google Voice with a landline, a blackberry, and a dumb cell phone (crappy Motorola Flip phone) All you really need internet for is to setup the call routing or change it. I have it send SMS to my mobile phone (free incoming texts) with transcripts of my voicemails, as well as emailed to my gmail account. I could, just as easily call in and listen to them too.

The iphone app is just a handy way to manage it all, to use all the screen real estate. I guess there could be some functionality with SMS, or when calling someone from GV, it just puts your phone in "talk" mode, instead of calling it.. but the power of Google Voice is the simplicity of management, and the backend stuff. I almost never deal with the website.

Re:Don't listen to this guy, Apple.

[ViViDboarder]

Is it just me or did this post seem like sarcasm?

I really hope so.

Re:Google getting a bit too cocky.

[toriver]

It's not really "getting around": Prior to the SDK/XCode release, Apple's preferred approach was that devs should write webapps. With HTML5 this is even more tempting than before, and there is no vetting process at all.

Re:Don't listen to this guy, Apple.

[flabordec]

Anyone can develop and publish apps to run on OS X, but it hasn't harmed Apple's reputation. Same thing can be said of *nix and even Windows

Well, except for all those lousy Windows drivers, and the viruses, and tons of crapware. Come to think of it, at least some of Microsoft's bad reputation can be tracked to horrible implementations done by other people.

Re:Don't listen to this guy, Apple.

[Anonymous Coward]

As OS X grows in popularity, a LOT more spyware and crapware has been popping up, so much so that there now exist anti-spyware and virus scanners for OS X, something unheard of only a few years ago.

Congratulations on buying into media hype and FUD. Only pople who don't actually have any experience with OS X believe it. In reality the only malware any Mac user needs to be concerned with is trojans, which of course are also very easy to avoid.

It only "sucks" if you are a greedy or incompetent developer looking to cash in on Apple's hard work.

Not much of a thinker, are you?

Re:Don't listen to this guy, Apple.

[Anonymous Coward]

Nah. The APIs and laughable security policies established by MS are the root of all that.

Re:Don't listen to this guy, Apple.

[Anonymous Coward]

Please, show us all of this malware that's just 'popping up'. Can you actually point us to any of this supposed malware or spyware? As far as I know, the only real threat is a trojan in a cracked version of Adobe Photoshop which still requires an admin password. Your arguments are ridiculous. If the underlying OS is secure, it invalidates serious threats from applications. Take a look at any *nix build.

Re:Don't listen to this guy, Apple.

[Anonymous Coward]

Good idea that. It's about the only chance they have for hanging on to their market share.