It is only a matter of time before Google’s purchase of Gizmo5 turns into a VoIP service that is integrated to Google Voice. Is this the first sign of it?
The (unofficial) Google Operating System Blog has a supposed screenshot of what the Google web-based Skype-like client would look like.
It appears to be in the new web-based Talk window that is in your Gmail or iGoogle homepage.
Google purchased a company called Gizmo5 that builds SIP VoIP solutions. Gizmo5 was also courted by Skype when Skype’s original founders threatened to pull the underlying technology from eBay. After an agreement was worked out Gizmo5 went back on the market and was picked up by Google.
Google (GOOG) has been on a buying VoIP and Audio/Video compression technology companies over the past months in what appears to be plans to roll out a VoIP network in the coming months. That product would fill in the gap between its Google Talk desktop client and its Google Voice phone routing service.
The new integrated VoIP system would be a boon to Android customers who wanted to communicate on different handsets or to desktops using the same number. I’m already a big user of Google Voice and am very excited to see how Gizmo5 integration makes the product better.