Google Hangouts for iOS can call US & Canada for free, receive Google Voice calls
The Google Hangouts app for iOS is getting a major update this evening that gives it all new calling features on Apple's mobile hardware. Users can call phone numbers directly from the app itself, with no charge for any calls to US & Canadian numbers (international calls work too, for a fee). If they have a Google Voice account it's even more useful since it can both make and receive calls now, with outgoing calls showing your GV number and incoming calls popping up in the Hangouts app itself. Also new, are the better visible indicators of who is reachable right now that recently popped up in the Android version, inline animated GIF support and now incoming calls don't stop user's music -- they just pause it. We're already expecting Hangouts to take a step to the forefront in Android 4.4 KitKat -- check the app's placement in yesterday's Nexus 5 leak for a peek -- and this update will probably make things easier for users that cross back and forth between platforms.
