Google Voice has had an interesting relationship with the iPhone. If you’re an avid user of the service, the tight integration found on Android devices is enviable. First downloadable in the App Store then taken down then available on Cydia in 2010, GV Mobile + has been the go-to app for many Google Voice users even with the launch of the official Google Voice iOS app.
Now, the app has matured into version three, a full-blown messaging and VoIP application contained within a sleek design.
New Design
GV Mobile + has always kept up-to-date with the latest design trends. In this third version, the app moves to a slick “flat” design. It’s not exactly in line with iOS 7 and makes use of the hamburger menu that has plagued many apps lately, but the design has a solid and complete feel to it.
Transitions between screens are also notable and appreciated. New pages fly up from the bottom or slide out from the top. When placing a call, the screen fades out and a new “in-call” screen fades in.
VoIP
While the option to make calls using your cellular minutes is still readily available, this is the first version that includes built-in VoIP. Even though I was extremely excited to use this feature since my data plan is still unlimited but I only have a few hundred minutes per month, I haven’t found this to be quite as reliable as I would hope. Even with a strong LTE connection, I usually receive complaints from the people I talk to and end up calling them back using my cell. In WiFi environments, it can be a viable choice and definitely saves you if you don’t have many minutes.
Ever since I placed my first FaceTime Audio call, every phone call sounds dull and mono, so any criticism of the sound quality from me is a bit skewed. VoIP in this application sounds like a regular phone call placed over the regular phone application.
In-App Notifications
Mirroring the same design as Facebook, this version also includes in-app notifications. This is definitely helpful if you’re having multiple SMS conversations.
The notifications are reliable and it’s definitely a great feature for power users of the app.
Roundup & Giveaway
A while back, GV Mobile + was updated with a nasty bug that made the app unusable. Although the developer, Sean Kovacs, pushed out an update very quickly, Apple was slow to push out the critical update. At that time, I tried using the free, official Google Voice app, but found it to be extremely lacking. To put it simply, it seems like Sean Kovacs cares more about Google Voice and the features in the iOS app more than the Google Voice employees do. Seeing that this is one of my most used applications on a day-to-day basis, I couldn’t live without it.
You can purchase GV Mobile + 3 in the App Store for just $2.99.
In addition, we’re giving away 5 promo codes for the app. Leave a comment below with your Twitter handle by the end of tomorrow (7/15 at 11:59 PM PST) and we’ll announce the winners on July 16th. Good luck!
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