Google Testing Phone Calls from Gmail Feature

Google has been working on integrating Voice with its existing VoIP services and Gmail. While it has never confirmed anything, there have been plenty of signs that the company is working on it and the move is an obvious one.

Now it seems that Google is moving forward and is now testing a phone call feature in Gmail. There have been some rumors about this and it has been told that Google wanted to offer a web app instead of a desktop client.

But it now seems that the service is fully functioning, with those being tested, and enables users to make calls in the US and Canada for free and internationally at low rates.

Cnet has managed to get some details on the app in testing at the moment. The voice app is integrated with the Chat tool in Gmail. From it, users can call any phone number in the world and make regular calls.

Gmail already has a VoIP component but it is restricted to other Gmail users. Google also has a standalone Google Talk desktop client and voice chat is also integrated in Orkut and the iGoogle homepage.

The new feature is a completely new offering since it also enables users to make regular calls. What's interesting though is that users aren't required to have a Google Voice account to access the new VoIP service.

In fact, there's no indication that the feature is bundled with Google Voice. However, it seems highly unlikely that Google would build a complete VoIP system and not have it work with Voice.

On the other hand, Google has been getting very friendly with carriers lately, the Verizon deal is the obvious example, and the interest for disrupting the voice communications market seems to be dwindling at the search company.