14 DAY TRIAL // After 16 months in App Store limbo, Apple finally approved the iPhone Google Voice app. The app, which brings native support for Google's Voice service is now available to everyone for free though you'll still need a Voice account which is only available in the US.
"Earlier this year we launched a Google Voice HTML5 web app for iPhone users. Today we’re taking the Google Voice experience on the iPhone to a whole new level with the launch of the official Google Voice for iPhone app," Christian Brunschen, Software Engineer at Google, announced.
"With this native app, you’ll continue to have access to all the major Google Voice features on your iPhone," he added.
Google gave a rundown of things to expect in the new app and, from the initial response, it looks like the app is going to be a hit. You get cheap international calls, free text messages, voicemail transcription and access to your Google Voice Caller ID.
All of this was already available in the web app Google built, the native app brings push notifications for new text messages and voicemail. It will also enable users to call via Direct Access Numbers, meaning they'll be able to dial the number they want and call it through Voice directly.
Previously, users had to pick the number and then wait for a call from Google Voice which then connected them to the number they wanted to reach.
For Google Voice iPhone users, it's a dream come true, more so because it has been 16 months in the making.
While Google doesn't mention anything about the long wait or the dispute with Apple, those wanting to use the service on their iPhones remember it well.
Google submitted the app back in summer 2009. However, Apple gave no response and the app was not accepted into the App Store, nor was it rejected outright.
There was nothing Google could do about that, the company and the users were at the mercy of Apple. When pressed for an answer as to why the app wasn't approved, Apple said Google Voice replicated core functionality available on the iPhone and, as such, was against the App Store's policies.
Google had no way of forcing Apple to approve the app so it built a HTML5 Google Voice app instead. While the app went a long way towards bringing Voice functionality to the iPhone it was still fairly limited in its capabilities.
Earlier this fall, Apple eased back on some of the policies regarding the App Store and has now finally approved the Google Voice app after a 16 months 'review.'