Google Hangouts adds iOS CallKit to make & receive calls from Apple’s built-in phone app

Google has updated its Hangouts messaging and voice calling app with support for Apple’s CallKit, the iOS 10 feature that enables VoIP services to use the iPhone’s built-in dialer and phone app to both make and receive calls.

Once the new feature is enabled within Hangouts, users can initiate phone calls using the iPhone’s built-in Phone app or with Siri voice commands, and also receive incoming calls form Hangouts using the stock iOS call UI.

You can enable CallKit support for Hangouts while navigating to Settings within the app and switch the toggle for “Answer on lock screen.” That will make it so incoming calls appear on your iPhone with the same UI and overall functionality of a regular cellular call on your phone. For outbound calls, users will be able to select Hangouts for numbers they calling from within the phone app’s contacts, favorites, and recents.

Also arriving in today’s Hangouts update, version 16, are a couple of fixes for issues related to photo pinch zoom in preview and crashing video calls.

The updated Hangouts app is available on the App Store now.

What’s New in Version 16.0.0

• Users can now receive incoming calls and make outgoing calls using the system-provided phone app. To enable / disable this feature, go to Settings and toggle Answer on lock screen.
• Fixed photo pinch zoom in preview.
• Fixed video calling crashes.