In January 2017, when Allworx launched the Allworx Verge phone line, I put forth a thesis: “in order for the next-generation of business phones to stay relevant in modern workplaces, they need to work seamlessly with mobile devices” published in a blog titled “Is This the End of Desk Phones as We Know Them?”
More than two years later we can report that desk phones are not dead! In fact, the Allworx Verge phone line has been extremely successful. Thousands of customers every month select Allworx Verge phones and software to run their businesses more efficiently. Our development team’s painstaking efforts to ensure Allworx Verge phones work seamlessly with smartphones has paid off. We have made smartphones smarter! Our customers have adopted our advanced features very quickly and find the features are simple to use. Features such as real-time contact sharing, call handoff, Bluetooth, and remote control make a mobile device connected to an Allworx Verge Phone a powerful combination in business communication.
Integration is not enough. Two years ago, our focus was on integrating the Verge phone line with mobile devices. Now, the latest software releases from Allworx take a significant step forward in enabling mobile devices to be used as business phones. Our radical improvements to Allworx Reach (the Allworx mobile business phone application) will increase the demand for Allworx phone system solutions because the user experience on mobility is so significantly enhanced.
When Allworx first launched Allworx Reach, both iOS and Android versions were custom-developed at Allworx to integrate with the rich functionality of Allworx systems, but network quality was always an issue. Since then, mobile and wireless networks have greatly improved, and user’s expectations have risen. Significant advancements in mobile hardware and mobile operating systems have also occurred. At Allworx, our latest releases of the Allworx Reach mobile applications (5.1) take full advantage of the advancements in mobile hardware and mobile operating systems. The result is a best of class user experience for our customers.
For Android users, Allworx Reach for Android 5.1 provides dramatically improved audio quality including reduced latency and improved echo canceler performance, creating a much better conversation experience on a mobile device.
For Apple users, Allworx Reach for iOS 5.1 supports the standard iOS “CallKit” interface to enhance all aspects of the call-answering experience and allows using Reach as a fully-integrated business extension on the Allworx server by:
- answering calls while your phone is locked
- answering calls via Bluetooth
- answering a Reach call while another call (Reach or cellular) is in progress
- continuing a Reach call when a cellular call begins ringing and having the option to reject the cellular call or switch easily between the two
Over the years, each mobile operating system, iOS and Android, have presented unique opportunities and challenges for VoIP applications. These challenges meant that the Allworx development team had to create and evolve a different path for each of these applications on our Reach platform. The 5.1 releases of Allworx Reach have brought these two paths together resulting in an amazing convergence of best in class audio quality, native platform integration, and business phone features in the mobility marketplace. Allworx on your desk at work, in your home office, and in your pocket on the go!
