Hey, Google Voice, Forget Apple And Just Give Me A Better Mobile Experience.
Techie big deals like Michael Arrington are throwing temper tantrums and giving up their iPhones over Apple’s decision to NOT allow the Google Voice app into the iTunes App Store. My initial reaction was along the same lines, though a bit more calm.
I’ve changed my thoughts on a Google Voice app for the iPhone.
Thanks to Jason Berman, I was alerted to the GV Mobile app for my jailbroken iPhone. It was available via Cydia, so of course I gave it a whirl. I liked it. But I realized something.
I’ve had an icon on my homescreen to take me to http://www.google.com/voice from day one of the Google Voice launch. (see illustration below) It works. I can search my address book, place calls, listen to messages, etc. In short, I can do anything I really need to do, right there on my little ol’ iPhone.
What struck me about the GV Mobile app was that the main reason it felt better than going to a mobile version of their website, aside from being able to dial and access my phones address book, was the UI. That’t it. It was pretty and the buttons were bigger and easier to use, but it didn’t give me the ability to do a whole lot more than I couldn’t already do.
So, Google, I have a suggestion for you. Just bypass the iTunes App Store. When you sense I’m coming from an iPhone, why don’t you simply give me a better, more iPhone-friendly version of your site. You did a great job on the iPhone layout for Google Calendar recently. That made me happy. Just do the same thing for Voice and I’ll be happy again. I’m sure others will be too.
I’m not sure how Michael Arrington will react though.
Arrington is a douchy crybaby anyhow. I think your right about a better iPhone experience. Give us an ajaxy dialer and do the calls for me.
Jeff – I think all companies, not just Google, should be rethinking their mobile strategy and moving things off apps and to the web. It’s no surprise that Google Calendar has a good mobile web presence as Google is pushing the mobile internet. It also won’t be a surprise when Google Voice looks great on the mobile web as well.
Personally, I feel that apps are all hype. Consider an app for the iPhone – you lose over 50% of your market right away since the iPhone is only on AT&T, then you only get those AT&T customers that have it – meaning you reach about 5% or so of the total market. Doesn’t sound like a worthwhile investment to me.
Agreed, for too long interactions with phones have been based upon our past understanding of human computer interaction. It’s analogous to how television was first used to radio plays, where we could watch the people standing around the microphones. Voice certainly has huge potential, and combine that with the ability for phones to have a lot of contextual information about your location and status etc. they can become far more useful entry points to the cloud than they currently are. I actually think the tipping point will come when we have perpetually connected mobile devices, that is when the real innovation and the next wave will come. When you have a billion devices with a perpetual connection, ala the “Evernet” there will be enormous innovation in how we interact with everything.