RingCentral announced its first Apple Watch App for iOS, which enables workers to respond to incoming calls and messages while away from their desks. The app will be available for download on iOS 9.1 for all current RingCentral customers.
Upon receiving a call, users can opt to send a canned text message, use the hands-off feature to directly transfer incoming calls to their iPhone for pickup, or send the call straight to voicemail where they can view a transcription of the message from their wrist.
The app automatically syncs with a customer’s RingCentral Office account, allowing users to view a contact’s call history and receive instant notifications while on the go.
“RingCentral’s platform has been designed from the ground up for mobility-centric communication solutions. We’ve always said that our cloud communication solutions provide end-users the independence of using our solutions with their preferred devices,” Praful Shah, senior vice president of strategy at RingCentral, told eWEEK. “This is totally different than legacy on-premises systems that require proprietary desktop devices. RingCentral Mobile for Apple Watch is the latest in our continued commitment to improve business communications that support and boost productivity among today’s increasingly mobile workforce.”
The app includes instant notifications, allowing users to receive an immediate notification when a call or message arrives. Users can respond to incoming calls by either sending the call straight to voicemail, or reply with a canned message.
“Smartphones and the BYOD phenomenon have totally changed the way employees work, from where they work and how they want to communicate,” Shah said. “RingCentral is delivering innovative mobile-centric communication solutions to meet the needs of the business users who have already discontinued using legacy on-premises PBX communication systems that were never designed to serve the needs of the modern mobile workforce.”
Other features include the ability to read and reply to text messages, transcribe voicemails, view messages and call logs by specific contact and sync with iPhone, through the handoff feature, which allows users to seamlessly make and return calls, play voicemail and view faxes.
“Currently, the Apple Watch platform is more mature so we decided to start with it,” Shah said. “Our aim is to always meet the mobile device choice of our users. As the Android Watch platform and its usage expands and matures, we will deliver the right solutions for our users’ needs.”