Google Voice Android user moving to a 6+

[geoff5093]

So to be brief, I currently have an Android phone and use Google Voice/Hangouts for my main number. I know there are similar apps on iOS, but I don't know how well they work for people like myself who switch platforms.

Has anyone switched from Android with a Google Voice number to an iPhone? How was the migration? What apps do you have to use to allow for reliable calls and SMS? I'm debating porting my Google Voice number over to Verizon so I can use iMessage, but that won't happen immediately.

 

[KuchiKopi]

I was in the same boat. Port your number over, particularly if you have a Mac or iPad. between iOS and OS X devices, the SMS/calling integration is just like Google Voice (only better/more seamless/more reliable). Google Voice has improved along with Hangouts but it's just not worth it on an iPhone IMO. Way too many compromises.

 

[geoff5093]

I was in the same boat. Port your number over, particularly if you have a Mac or iPad. between iOS and OS X devices, the SMS/calling integration is just like Google Voice (only better/more seamless/more reliable). Google Voice has improved along with Hangouts but it's just not worth it on an iPhone IMO. Way too many compromises.

I agree, many times my computer will tell me I'm getting a call, but my phone never rings, or messages never get sent/received on my phone but show up in Chrome, and vice versa. I don't want to port my number until I am 100% sure I'm keeping the iPhone, so I just wanted to make sure that during the 2 week window I can still reliably receive calls and texts.

 

[KuchiKopi]

I agree, many times my computer will tell me I'm getting a call, but my phone never rings, or messages never get sent/received on my phone but show up in Chrome, and vice versa. I don't want to port my number until I am 100% sure I'm keeping the iPhone, so I just wanted to make sure that during the 2 week window I can still reliably receive calls and texts.

You can still use Google Voice on iOS (im not sure of whether SMS is integrated in iOS hangouts yet...) but for instance, it cant be set as your default dialer so its just a pain. Given that you keep the iphone, i would definitely port, but yeah you will still be able to place/receive calls and texts

 

[ZebraDude]

So to be brief, I currently have an Android phone and use Google Voice/Hangouts for my main number. I know there are similar apps on iOS, but I don't know how well they work for people like myself who switch platforms.

Has anyone switched from Android with a Google Voice number to an iPhone? How was the migration? What apps do you have to use to allow for reliable calls and SMS? I'm debating porting my Google Voice number over to Verizon so I can use iMessage, but that won't happen immediately.

Well my main number is my Google Voice as well. I am a Sprint customer and I LOVE the carrier integration that they offer for Google voice.

I see that you are a Verizon customer so this would not probably work for you.

I have a 128GB SP iPhone 6+

 

[lordofthereef]

I used google voice for a while and it was fine. This was with the iPhone 5, so it's been over a year...

If you use hangouts for messaging, it works very well. It's all a few friends of mine use since for some reason they cant be bothered to text and they are exclusively Android users. It works out for me since I dual platform and the messages show up on both platforms every time. I do get the occassional crash on iOS, but it reloads fast enough that it's just a minor annoyance.

 

[HolyGrail]

I use the Goolge voice app on my iphone as a secondary number. It works fine to make calls and send text. It works much better IMO then the Google voice app that I used on my Galaxy S4.

I didn't use hangouts, so can't really comment on that app.

 

[Allthings-I]

So to be brief, I currently have an Android phone and use Google Voice/Hangouts for my main number. I know there are similar apps on iOS, but I don't know how well they work for people like myself who switch platforms.

Has anyone switched from Android with a Google Voice number to an iPhone? How was the migration? What apps do you have to use to allow for reliable calls and SMS? I'm debating porting my Google Voice number over to Verizon so I can use iMessage, but that won't happen immediately.

Why are you using google voice? how much are you paying monthly? because there are soo many cheaper solutions to handle all your calling and texting...

Plans with Unlimited Talk + Text = $19 now days...

My recommendation:

Port the # to a carrier that suits your budget, use your iPhone as a Phone and not as a tablet with VoIP calling/texting. It will do wonders when using it with a mac handoff/continuity.

 

[iolinux333]

The apps are more or less the same on iOS and Android. You didn't have to port your number or do anything else at all except download the same apps, log in, and continue as usual. I have my android and apple devices set up the same way with the same apps in the same spots on the home screen, and most of the time there ain't two seeds difference tween em.

----------

Why are you using google voice? how much are you paying monthly? because there are soo many cheaper solutions to handle all your calling and texting...

Plans with Unlimited Talk + Text = $19 now days...

My recommendation:

Port the # to a carrier that suits your budget, use your iPhone as a Phone and not as a tablet with VoIP calling/texting. It will do wonders when using it with a mac handoff/continuity.

I would politely point out you have zero clue how Google Voice works.

 

[C DM]

I use the Goolge voice app on my iphone as a secondary number. It works fine to make calls and send text. It works much better IMO then the Google voice app that I used on my Galaxy S4.

I didn't use hangouts, so can't really comment on that app.

Hangouts is useful to make or even receive Google Voice calls using data (basically VoIP more or less).

----------

Why are you using google voice? how much are you paying monthly? because there are soo many cheaper solutions to handle all your calling and texting...

Plans with Unlimited Talk + Text = $19 now days...

My recommendation:

Port the # to a carrier that suits your budget, use your iPhone as a Phone and not as a tablet with VoIP calling/texting. It will do wonders when using it with a mac handoff/continuity.

Isn't Google Voice free?

 

[geoff5093]

Why are you using google voice? how much are you paying monthly? because there are soo many cheaper solutions to handle all your calling and texting...

Plans with Unlimited Talk + Text = $19 now days...

My recommendation:

Port the # to a carrier that suits your budget, use your iPhone as a Phone and not as a tablet with VoIP calling/texting. It will do wonders when using it with a mac handoff/continuity.

I'm using Google voice because for one it's free, I can make much cheaper international calls, I can make calls over mobile data or WiFi only using Hangouts, it allows me to have all my devices ring and get texts, I have continuity between all devices, such as texting someone on my phone and then finish on my Mac or PC, etc.

If I switch to iOS I'd port my number to use iMessage and continuity, I just wanted to make sure I could still use it before I posted over and still receive calls and texts.

 

[onepoint]

I'm using Google Voice for the (attempts at) voicemail transcription. I have my VZW line forward unanswered calls to my GV number, which then delivers the voicemails to the GV app on my iPhone (and also sends copy to my work email address).

It's pretty convenient in that I can forward the emails to colleagues, who can then click the "listen" button to listen to voice messages, without being able to access the rest of my Google account -- far easier than trying to explain client calls more often than not.

 

[Allthings-I]

Hangouts is useful to make or even receive Google Voice calls using data (basically VoIP more or less).

----------



Isn't Google Voice free?

YEs, but OP still needs a device with Data to allow him to access Google Voice....or any other plan with Data to allow him to access google voice...

----------

I'm using Google voice because for one it's free, I can make much cheaper international calls, I can make calls over mobile data or WiFi only using Hangouts, it allows me to have all my devices ring and get texts, I have continuity between all devices, such as texting someone on my phone and then finish on my Mac or PC, etc.

If I switch to iOS I'd port my number to use iMessage and continuity, I just wanted to make sure I could still use it before I posted over and still receive calls and texts.

I am 100% sure you can find cheaper rates that GV with other providers depending on how many calls you truly make.

 

[C DM]

YEs, but OP still needs a device with Data to allow him to access Google Voice....or any other plan with Data to allow him to access google voice...

----------



I am 100% sure you can find cheaper rates that GV with other providers depending on how many calls you truly make.

The vast majority with iPhones have plans with data (as is usually required by carriers too). Sure there might be some options for some somewhere to go without data or with very little data, but that's not the case usually, and isn't something that was mentioned by the OP.

 

[Macloven]

I just purchased a 6 over the weekend and had been using a 2nd number on google voice on my Samsung gs3. Had to load the hangouts app and play with the settings a bit, but it's taking calls no problem. My GV # is what my clients use, so I wanted to keep it active and keep the ability of shutting it down over the weekends (clients call at the craziest hours to leave messages). GV is free as far as I know, so it's nice to have it working. I'm a newb with the iphone 6, and so far the conversion over has been relatively painless.

 

[geoff5093]

YEs, but OP still needs a device with Data to allow him to access Google Voice....or any other plan with Data to allow him to access google voice...

----------



I am 100% sure you can find cheaper rates that GV with other providers depending on how many calls you truly make.

I'm not sure what you're getting at, I'm just changing phones, not my plan. Google voice requires minutes, as I still make calls over 1x, and I only call local and national numbers, so pricing really can't get any better.

 

[themyst]

For proper Google Voice Integration (and in some ways, superior to the Android solution), you'll need to jailbreak. SMS on GV 8 and Call on GV 8 are the two apps (edit: tweaks) you need.

The native Hangouts app on iOS does not support SMS; you would need to use the outdated Google Voice app and disable SMS over Hangouts (if you use the feature on your PC). They say it's coming soon, but this is far more elegant as it integrates your GV number with the stock phone/messaging app.

With no jailbreak, it can get clunky.

----------

I'm not sure what you're getting at, I'm just changing phones, not my plan. Google voice requires minutes, as I still make calls over 1x, and I only call local and national numbers, so pricing really can't get any better.

You can make non-international calls through the Hangouts app (both iOS and Android) for free. I use my Google Voice number with a headset to conduct business when I work from home.

 

[geoff5093]

For proper Google Voice Integration (and in some ways, superior to the Android solution), you'll need to jailbreak. SMS on GV 8 and Call on GV 8 are the two apps (edit: tweaks) you need.

The native Hangouts app on iOS does not support SMS; you would need to use the outdated Google Voice app and disable SMS over Hangouts (if you use the feature on your PC). They say it's coming soon, but this is far more elegant as it integrates your GV number with the stock phone/messaging app.

With no jailbreak, it can get clunky.

----------



You can make non-international calls through the Hangouts app (both iOS and Android) for free. I use my Google Voice number with a headset to conduct business when I work from home.

Thanks for the tip! I know I can use Hangouts to make VoIP calls, I tried it out before but when on 1x/3G or weak LTE the quality is awful, I don't think VoIP is ready for primetime yet in weak areas.

 

[themyst]

Thanks for the tip! I know I can use Hangouts to make VoIP calls, I tried it out before but when on 1x/3G or weak LTE the quality is awful, I don't think VoIP is ready for primetime yet in weak areas.

for ip calling, latency is king. Unless you're in a prime LTE location, that is hard to come by over cellular data.

 

[eprisencc]

So to be brief, I currently have an Android phone and use Google Voice/Hangouts for my main number. I know there are similar apps on iOS, but I don't know how well they work for people like myself who switch platforms.



Has anyone switched from Android with a Google Voice number to an iPhone? How was the migration? What apps do you have to use to allow for reliable calls and SMS? I'm debating porting my Google Voice number over to Verizon so I can use iMessage, but that won't happen immediately.

Don't give up Google voice for your carrier number. Google voice equals freedom. You can change carrier numbers at will but keep it tied to the same Google voice number.