Google Voice Approved for iPhone [REPORT]

iPhone users could see a Google Voice app for their mobile devices within a few weeks, according to reports flying all over the web.

The latest round of rumors begins with a story on TechCrunch, whose sources say the Google Voice app has been approved and will be arriving in the App Store soon. We’re more inclined to believe these rumors for reasons we’ll highlight below; but first, let’s take a look at the long and winding road that this app and platform have covered already.

The Google Voice/iOS saga began in the summer of 2009 when Google Voice and all Google Voice-related apps were banned from the App Store. In January 2010, Google rolled out an HTML5 version of Google Voice. As a web app, it was a handy workaround for iPhone users.

Over the past few days, however, we’ve seen a few Google Voice-powered apps returning to the App Store. After more than a year of banning these applications, Apple allowed GV Connect, a $3 native app for Google Voice on the iPhone, to be approved for sale in the store. The following day, we noticed GV Mobile + had been App Store-approved, as well.

Given this sudden reversal of policy, we can only assume that the Google Voice HTML5 app has made an impression on Apple execs; iPhone users apparently want Google Voice, and they’ll take a workaround or third-party app if they have to, but there’s little reason at this point not to simply let Google’s app go through.

Do you think Apple should have resisted the inevitable this long?

[via mashable]

Posted in: Apple,Google