Users can now make web-based calls on Google Voice via Hangouts without a G+ account

[Justin Kahn]

There are a number of rumors out there pointing at Google merging its Voice service with Hangouts. The company has been unifying its services and social network for some time, and now it looks like Google Voice is getting another step closer. 

Google's Alex Wiesen took to Google+ recently to announce that users can now make web-based phone calls using Hangouts from directly on the Google Voice site. Requiring no connection to Google+, users can now hit the option from within the "phone to call with" drop down menu. Gmail users have had very similar functionality right in the inbox for a while, but the service was never available directly on Google Voice. 

As some have mentioned, the move to have the service being available even to those without a Google+ profile is an interesting one considering how aggressively the company has been integrating its social network in with its other services. 

While the update is a minor one, some users will likely find it a handy addition. The move doesn't directly point at the services one day merging into one, but even without Google+ being a requirement with Hangouts calls in Google Voice, is still feels like a fully unified service is where the company is headed.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/57540-users-can-now-make-web-based-calls-on-google-voice-via-hangouts-without-a-g-account.html

 

[treetops]

So google makes a app that many other companies came out with 5+ years ago, but because it is google this new\old app makes the front page news. I like google but really...

 

[Mister_K]

So google makes a app that many other companies came out with 5+ years ago, but because it is google this new\old app makes the front page news. I like google but really...

Maybe it's just to make other Google users aware of this update/implementation? I wouldn't know about it without this article.