Google is gradually turning its Hangouts service and app into a consolidated communications platform using features from former Google services and merging all of them into one service. However, missing from this platform was the ability to make phone calls (Skype style), directly from Hangouts.
Due to user demand, Google announced today that the calling feature is back. The feature is now available in desktop versions of Gmail, Google+ and the Chrome extension, and since the absence of this feature was highly criticized, Google added a treat by making calls to Canadian and U.S. numbers free of charge.
Using features already found in normal Hangouts, users can add multiple phone callers or video callers to the same Hangout, creating a sort of conference call directly on Hangouts. Avid users of Hangouts, should already be acquainted with Google’s video effects to be used in Hangouts to lighten a conversation. In addition, Google made available sound effects like applause so users who are making audio-only calls don’t feel left out.
These features are rolling out for the next few days, and once available users will see a new phone icon next to contacts in Gmail or a “Call a phone” option in Google+. Despite this new update there’s still no word on the coveted SMS support for the Hangout platform. You can see some screenshots of the call feature below and whle your at it be sure to leave a comment on the section below.
[Via Gmail Blog]
