Switchvox Softphone App Version 3.0

Switchvox Softphone App version 3.0 for iPhone and iOS 10 takes advantage of newer mobile technology for a better user experience:

• Better call handling: your Switchvox calls aren’t interrupted by an incoming iPhone call or other phone activity, and an incoming Switchvox call can be quickly answered even when your iPhone is locked.

• Better communications with the Switchvox server, to save on data and battery use.

See also: How do I use the Switchvox Softphone and How to Set Up and Manage Switchvox for the Switchvox Softphone.

Requirements

Version 3.0 of the Switchvox Softphone App requires 

• An iPhone running iOS 10 or later

• Switchvox server version 6.3 or later. (Switchvox 6.3 will also support earlier versions of the app.)

When the Android version of the latest app is available, that will require Lollipop 5.0. Earlier versions of the app will run on iOS 10 and Switchvox server version 6.3 or later, but we recommend using the latest version of the app. The app is a phone that registers to a Switchvox SIP-Phone extension, and each phone-type extension requires one Switchvox Subscription. 

Server Communication

Push technology enables better communication between the server and the app, conserving your data and battery use.

In past versions of the app, it functioned like a traditional SIP phone, frequently registering to the server and continuously maintaining the network connection in anticipation of an incoming call or other information from the server.

In version 3.0, the app can receive notifications from the Switchvox server, which is using push technology to send the notifications as necessary. When something happens (you receive an incoming call, or get a voicemail), the event is pushed out from the Switchvox server to the app. That means the app doesn’t have to constantly maintain a network connection and communicate with Switchvox.

Integration with iPhone Call Handling

In past versions of the app, iOS would "steal" the audio from the app when the iPhone got a call. An inbound iPhone call would place your Switchvox call on hold so that you could take the iPhone call. That was better than hanging up on the Switchvox caller, but still a bad experience.

With iOS 10 and version 3.0, the iPhone’s CallKit lets Switchvox and iPhone calls share the call interface. That means

• Your Switchvox calls are never put on hold for iPhone calls (or other audio). You choose what to do when each new call comes in.

• An incoming Switchvox call can be quickly answered even your iPhone is locked. (There is a known issue where you do not receive an incoming call if your iPhone is locked and the app is closed, but a future version of iOS should resolve that issue.)

If you need to use the advanced features of Switchvox, you can still open the app and tap the Calls tab. In 3.0, that tab offers all the same call-handling tools as it did in earlier versions of the app.