Google Talk comes to the iPhone, iPod Touch

Google is making its Google Talk instant-messaging application available for Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch.

One of Google's software engineers posted the news in a blog on Wednesday.

(Credit: Google)

"In addition to sending your friends Gmail messages from your iPhone, you can now chat with them while you're on the move, too!" Adam Connors, of Google's mobile team said in the blog.

The application doesn't require any software to be installed or downloaded. Instead it works within the phone's browser, so users can simply go to the site www.google.com/talk, sign in, and start chatting.

Connors pointed out that there are a few differences when using Google Talk on the iPhone versus a computer. For one, to receive messages, the application needs to be open on the Safari phone browser. When users navigate away from the Google Talk window in the browser, their status is set to "unavailable."

That said Google has tried to keep the experience close to what users experience on their desktop or laptop computers. They can select contacts from a quicklist, search contacts, and manage conversations.

With half the world's population soon owning a cell phone, the opportunity to reach more people on the Web via a mobile device is huge. Google recognizes this as a big advertising opportunity. As a result, the company has launched several initiatives to make sure it gets a piece of the action.

It's already adapted its Web search, mapping service, and advertising tools to work on cell phones. And it even bid in a U.S. auction of wireless spectrum to help ensure rules requiring open access on those networks were achieved. The company has even gone so far as to develop its own mobile operating system, known as Android, to ensure that its applications and services are tightly integrated into mobile devices.

[sanjayb]

Too bad I don't use Google talk or know anyone else that does.

[cnetcensorssuck]

Too bad that doesn't matter. Google Talk users are linked with AIM and soon with Yahoo! IM and Yahoo! is linked with MSN.

[shoffmueller]

Sanjay - do you honestly believe your comment is of value to anyone reading this article?

[sanjayb]

As much value as your comment is shoffmueller.

[csg7]

Good one Sanjay, i would like to add one more useless comment to the list :)

Google talk is the least used IM client in my opinion too. I like Skype and Yahoo better but just because its from Google it made the headlines (even though its not an app)

[ChasmoeBrown]

Hey, anything that helps me, even in the least way, tell AT&T where they can stick their pricing for texting, is a good thing.

[jlm429]

hahaha. Best comments on cnet ever.

[Vegaman_Dan]

I'm sorry- but the fact remains that you can't use the application unless you have it open at the time. If you go to another window, it shuts down / unavailable. How many people will launch this application and then stare at the screen hoping someone talks to them? They can't do anything else or it shuts down. That's a limitation that isn't acceptable. We all know OS X can mutltitask- Hell even Windows Mobile can run chat clients in the background. Surely the iPhone can do something that Windows has been doing for more than a decade? Release that silly one-app-at-a-time restriction, Apple. Unlock the iPhone's power for use. It's a good piece of hardware, but silly restrictions like this really hold it back from being usable.

[b_baggins]

It always helps to listen to Apple before going on a rant. Leaving persistent tasks running in the background sucks battery power and drains performance. It's not a question of multi-tasking, it's a question of picking between battery life and performance, or getting to view chat messages in the background.

[bourgtai]

Google's a tad late to the party; Meebo is already available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and it allows for messaging between you and your friends on AIM, Yahoo, and MSN in addition to Google Talk. A good effort, but it's just a year too late.

[paul.saulnier]

Give us a real app that runs outside Safari. We already have Meebo for the web-based apps.

[Magallanes]

Anyways, the touchscreen interface cannot beat a true keyboard, the interface can works on several easy task but is completely useless on typing intensive task such chat programs.

[Ookfay]

Google Talk rules. I use it all the time at work on my PC (using the standalone client). Been wanting a version of my iPod touch for ages.

[ayoung45]

when using google talk on the safai, or any software app on the iphone/ipod touch such as meebo, does it use text messages. I wanna just get the internet plan w/ out the text message plan and I want to find a way to text on the iphone without using actual text messages. Anyone have suggestions?

[nite41]

yeah, i agree with you! when you have better stuff in Yahoo Messenger, why stick with GTalk. It's got miles to go to come up with Yahoo MSN etc.

[danielszabo1981]

give it up for the iDroid.

[Janna Glasser]

Instead of Google talk, try the "Bad Talk" app - it's a good way to relax and while away some time when you're standing in line, waiting to check out, in the airport, etc. Makes you smile, what could be bad about that?