What is Google Voice?
Google voice is a free service offered by Google for your mobile phone that allows you to forward calls to your land-line, cellphone, Skype and other registered numbers. You can also customize your voice mail message depending on who is calling and/or the time of day. You can make and take cheap international calls, and send and receive free text messages. There are tons more that you can do, so check it out!
Previously, you had to create a new Google Voice number in order to use this service. You could opt to use your current number, but the amount of available features decreased substantially. Creating your own number is pretty fun, but then you have to tell all of your contacts about it which is kind of a pain. Now, Google has announced that you will be able to port your existing number for $20.
Is Google One Step Closer to Becoming a Media Content Provider?
This new advancement to the Google Voice service, along with the a recent interview with Google CEO, Eric Schmidt that details Google’s plan to focus on mobile in 2011 and other innovations from 2010, brings up an interesting question. Will Google become the first company to be a mobile multi-content provider? In other words, is Google trying to become the first company to provide phone, internet and TV service that is all sent directly to a single mobile device? This would give subscribers the ability to take their internet and TV subscriptions with them on the road, instead of leaving them at home. Of course these new mega devices would connect easily with other devices (computers, laptops and televisions) so you would still be able to watch TV on your big screen, and browse the internet on your desktop.
These advancements are most likely still years down the road, but what do you think is going to happen? Where do you think Google is trying to go with all these new services and how do you think this will effect your internet marketing strategies?