Last week Google introduced a feature that allows Gmail users to make phone calls directly from their web-based email account.
The best part is that Google is allowing its users to make free calls to the U.S. and Canada and is offering inexpensive rates to other countries.
Users with a Google Voice phone number can integrate that into the new software and have outgoing calls display their Google Voice number.
The main competitor to Google’s new Gmail feature is Skype.
Skype has become one of the most popular ways for students to communicate with friends and family when they are away at college.
Skype allows free calling between Skype users and gives the option of calling a phone number for a small cost.
The small cost for calling a phone number is what differentiates Skype from Google, who offers free calling to the U.S. and Canada.
Google tweeted its success on the first day saying, “Over 1,000,000 calls placed from Gmail in just 24 hours!”
But this begs the question of whether students will begin to use Google’s service rather than Skype, which already has such a following.
Alex Monroe, a University of Tampa senior, says, “I will use Google over Skype everyday.” Alex says that he makes at least two calls a day through Skype because he does not have any coverage in his Tampa apartment.
When he learned about Google’s new service, Alex said, “It’s unbelievable how Google can offer a service for free, while Skype offers the same service at a cost.”
Kenneth Metzler, a UT senior, explains “I would use Gmail over Skype because I already have a Gmail account…I use Gmail daily.”
Kenneth also says he has never made a phone call with Skype before and has only used Skype to video chat with other people.
UT junior Katie Schram also likes what Google is doing with Gmail calling.
“I support Google’s Gmail calling because they are trying to help customers by offering it for free for the same quality that Skype does,” Schram said.
While Gmail does allow for video calling to other Gmail accounts through its web-based client, it has not yet gained the following that Skype has.
Chris Bednarik, a UT senior, says he would use Gmail video calling over Skype because he has all his contacts saved already on Google.
He says, “Skype is finally going to have a big competitor and that is only good news for the consumer, as the service and quality of both products will increase with competition.”
Only time will tell if these Gmail services will garner as many fans as Skype.
“it begs the question” is a logical fallacy. But yes, google will win this one easily because they’re integrating it with so many other features. Wait until android and chrome os tablets hit the market.