Hangouts for Android already has phone calling half-baked in [HOW TO]

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Hangouts for Android already has phone calling half-baked in [HOW TO]

The ability to make phone calls using your Google Voice number in Hangouts is a feature that has eluded Android users for quite some time. The worst part is even though we know it’s in the works, it’s a feature iOS users have been smugly enjoying for a few months now.

Although it may not be the most ideal solution, a quick and dirty “hack” is showing us that it’s actually possible to hold a phone call using Hangouts for Android right now (although, it’s a little finicky at the moment).

The discovery was made by a user on Reddit who, upon placing a voice call on his computer via Hangouts, was then able to join said call using his Android device. Nothing too groundbreaking, but after leaving the conversation on his desktop, the connection remained via the Android app where he was able to leave his WiFi network, traveling around the city while maintaining an active connection over LTE. Pretty sweet.

1. Initiate the call on Hangouts for Chrome

2. Join the call on Hangouts for Android

3. Leave the call on Hangouts for Chrome

The caveat, of course, is you’ll be initiating all the calls from a desktop computer and can’t actually receive any calls. Not only that, it can be a bit glitchy but it’s the best we’re going to get until we see Google officially integrate Google Voice calling into Hangouts in the near future.

We’re still trying to find a scenario where something like this would be useful, but if nothing else, it lets us know that Google Voice calling is nearly upon us and already (sorta) baked into Hangouts for Android. All Google has to do now is flip the switch.

[via Reddit]

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