Google+ Hangouts Now Supports Audio Conferencing Through Phone!


We all know that Google+ hangouts is a unique feature in Google+ that allows us to do a webcam based video conferencing or otherwise known as group video chat. It allows up to a max of 10 users to participate in a single hangout at the same time.

Now when you are hosting a hangout, we are pretty sure you might have came across at least one of these following scenarios

  • One of the person you invited is driving or on the move?
  • A person you want to include in a hangout don’t know how to use a computer or a smartphone?
  • Person invited is far away from a computer but got a smartphone without a front facing camera (hangouts require phones with front facing camera)
  • Elderly who only has access to a conventional phone or a non-smartphone
  • A shy person who might be uncomfortable by being on a video but fine using audio instead
and there could be many other reasons besides mentioned above. Google listened to these feedbacks and now there is good news. Today they announced the launch and support of inviting and joining a google+ hangout using any phone just using a phone number(same as any other audio conferencing but with one difference, the host of the hangout dials the phone number out).
Google+ hangout invite through phone dialog

Google+ hangout invite through phone dialog

Inviting to an hangout using a phone number is really simple

  • Launch an hangout as you normally do
  • Click on the Invite button on the top
  • Click on the Phone tab in the Invite others… dialog

    Google+ hangout connecting phone

    Google+ hangout connecting phone

  • Type in a phone number or press number in the right side dialpad
  • Click on the Call now button
  • That’s it, Google+ hangout will now call the phone number and once the person picks up he is now part of this hangout using audio/ voice (traditional audio conferencing)
As of this writing it is free in the US and Canada. This is a great and wonderful feature added to Google+ hangouts that will draw more crowd towards hangouts.

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