Digium IP Phones Now Include Custom App Creation for Open Source Developers

Digium has announced the general availability of the Digium Phone App Engine and Phone API Information Center for its IP phones. The Digium IP phones include an applications engine that uses a free and open API.  The JavaScript API allows developers to easily create custom phone apps that extend the power of Asterisk, an open source IP telephony software, and Switchvox, Digium’s Unified Communications solution, to the Digium IP phones.  These applications go far beyond simple XML pages and integrate custom business processes directly on the phone display.

The App Engine interfaces with the phone’s core features and allows any web developer to simply build an array of apps for any purpose, including emergency notifications, weather alerts, call center applications, CRM integrations, business process automations, social media integrations and more.

The Digium phones are the only phones exclusively designed for Asterisk. The combination of the App Engine and the Digium Phone Module for Asterisk (DPMA) enables the customization of Digium’s phones. DPMA is a free add-on module that allows Digium phones to access information directly from Asterisk for automatic provisioning and advanced applications including Status, Contacts, Visual Voicemail, Call Queues, One-Touch Recording, Call Parking and others.  

According to a press release issued by Digium, the phones include the following models:
   
·        D70- An executive-level HD IP phone with 6-line keys and 10 rapid dial/busy lamp field (BLF) keys and real-time status information displayed on an additional LCD screen, allowing users to quickly navigate through up to 100 of their most important contacts. Designed for administrators or executives, the D70 offers top-of-the-line features.

·        D50- A mid-level HD IP phone with 4-line keys and 10 rapid dial/busy lamp field (BLF) keys with an easy-to-print paper label strip for the user's most important contacts. This model is ideal for users who spend a lot of time on the phone.

·        D40- An entry-level HD IP phone with 2-line keys. This is Digium's best value phone, designed for any employee in the company.

The Digium App Engine is generally available and included in all Digium IP phones, beginning with firmware version 1.3, and can be used with DPMA version 1.5, and Switchvox version 5.7 or later.  

The MSRP for the phones is as follows: D70 - $299 USD, D50 - $189 USD, and the D40 - $129 USD.