One of the handier features of Google Voice is the ability to send text messages via your phone’s original number and messaging app. Unfortunately, Google Voice is now set to lose this message forwarding capability “soon.”
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Back in June, Google started letting you use Fi and Voice on the same account. A new Google Fi promotion is now incentivizing those longtime Voice users to join the MVNO now that they have the opportunity.
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Over a year after we first spotted it, Google Voice is rolling out a new feature to its mobile apps — the ability to see previews of vCard contact cards.
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At the tail end of 2018, we reported on Google’s plans to replace Hangouts with Chat and Meet. The company later confirmed the news and has since been moving enterprise users to those two apps. Google is now ready to start detailing how it will transition classic Hangouts users to a free version of Chat.
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Google Voice is a relatively mature app that does not see too many interface updates these days. One change in Google Voice for Android today does make it easier to access ongoing calls.
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Google Voice is the latest first-party app to adopt a dark theme today. Following Gmail last month, the VOIP client is getting a standard night-friendly look on Android.
Update 10/1/19: We’ve been tracking development of a dark theme in Google Voice since early August. Like other apps, it adopts a gray background. The bottom bar and “Search Google Voice” field uses a somewhat lighter shade that’s also leveraged by the dialer interface.
The dark-green FAB in the bottom-right corner has also been tweaked to be distinctly brighter and more neon with a dark interior. Other colors throughout the interface have also been shifted. Google Voice’s homescreen widget already abides by the dark mode.
Unlike Messages last night, there will be an option within Google Voice preferences to set the look manually. The app is otherwise set to follow Android 10’s dark theme by default:
To change the theme specifically for the Google Voice app, go to Menu > Settings > Display Options > Theme and select “Dark.”
This dark theme will be available for all G Suite editions, and it begins gradually rolling out today with version 2019.40. It will be fully launched over the next 15 days to users. Following Messages and this update, Hangouts Chat is Google’s only remaining messaging service to not feature a night-friendly appearance.
Update 8/30: Nearly 11 months after launching on Android, Google Voice for iOS is picking up a dark theme. It is widely rolling out now with version 20.36, and it respects system settings. The release notes also highlight the ability to “see and access an on-going call while navigating the Voice app.”
Google Voice is a handy way to have an extra phone number or access a number from multiple devices. Recently, though, some users have been noticing an extremely frustrating bug. An ongoing issue is causing Google Voice users to miss incoming calls.
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Google has long imposed a restriction where Voice users cannot have separate Fi numbers. That is now changing today with the ability to have both coexist on the same account.
Last week, Google started migrating G Suite users away from classic Hangouts to Google Chat with the legacy service shutting down in “late 2020” for enterprise. The latest version of Google Voice for Android today provides some insight into the transition for regular users.
Back in February, we spotted Voice appearing in Gmail’s side panel. Google Voice integration in Gmail on the web is now official for G Suite customers, along with call transfer capabilities.
For those that have Google Voice available in their region, it looks like you’ll soon be able to transfer calls in progress to contacts and other numbers when using the calling app.
Last month, Google opened up the Gmail and Drive sidebar to third-party G Suite add-ons. On the first-party front, that space has only ever shown Google Calendar, Keep, and Tasks. Google Voice now looks to be making an appearance in Gmail’s side panel.
From the beginning, signing up for Google Fi has required that you forgo Google Voice. Work is now under way to separate that interdependency, starting with voicemail access, with users one day able to use both services separately.
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After debuting last year, Google Voice for G Suite is getting a huge expansion in availability. This week, Google has announced that the service is now available to all G Suite customers.
If you primarily use a Google Voice number, there are a few little roadblocks you’ve got to put up with. However, one of those is going away, as the latest Google Voice update for iOS adds better support for Siri.
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Google’s VoIP calling service for both consumer and enterprise customers will be the latest to add a dark theme. Google Voice 2019.32 for Android reveals work on the darker look, while “Driving Mode” is still in development.
Tools like Google Assistant Call Screen on the Pixel help mitigate robocalls, but broader FCC and industry action is ultimately required. Caught in the line of fire is Google Voice’s voicemail transcription over SMS feature, which Google is shutting down later this week due to the spam problem.
Google Voice is a convenient way to manage a phone number from more than one device, and it’s generally pretty reliable. This morning, however, some Google Voice users are reporting problems with incoming messages not appearing.
Following Voice for Android adopting a Material Theme account switcher, the Google Voice web app is gaining three usability updates. These changes are particularly catered towards enterprise G Suite customers.
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The latest update to the Android client of Google’s VoIP service is rolling out today with one notable user-facing tweak. Google Voice 2019.28 finally adopts the Material Theme account switcher, and is working on vCard support.
Rolling out today, Google Voice 2019.26 adds Material Theme avatar icons. It also reveals work on “Driving Mode” integration with third-party apps so that calls can be made through your Voice number.
Just before Google Voice received its Material Theme redesign earlier this year, the Android app removed the live count of unread messages and calls in the bottom bar. Fortunately, this feature is now back with the latest version of the Android app.
In addition to the cloud telephony service now properly supporting Android Auto, there are a handful of small UI tweaks to Google Voice for Android this week. Version 2019.14 brings a larger font to conversations, and renames several parts of the app.
The idea behind Android Auto is to make managing your messages and media easier, but apps not properly supporting the platform has certainly put a stop to that mission. Now, Google Voice has quietly added proper Android Auto support.
