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Vonage Q3 2025 Highlights: New APIs, Tools, and Features

Time to read: 7 minutes

Intro

Q3 was all about giving developers more power and less friction when building with our APIs. We launched the new Identity Insights API (in Beta) - so you can get real-time phone number intelligence in a single call, we rolled out smarter post-call tools with transcripts and AI summaries, and we made messaging more reliable with RCS support and failover workflows.

On top of that, we made video calls even smoother with scalable video coding, live captions, and better session controls. All of this is aimed at helping developers build secure, engaging, and rock-solid experiences, without adding extra complexity to your code.

Stronger Identity Verification

Protecting user accounts and reducing friction were top priorities. We focused on giving developers smarter tools to verify identities, spot fraud earlier, and streamline authentication flows. 

Identity Insights API Enters Beta

We launched the Identity Insights API into Beta in August 2025, providing real-time intelligence on phone numbers to enhance security and personalization. The Identity Insights API enables developers to access data such as carrier information, SIM swap status, number format, reachability, and more, all in a single API call. It’s designed to be non-intrusive and scalable. It also simplifies integration by normalizing data from hundreds of global operators and regulators. Common use cases include strengthening identity verification, detecting fraud, validating phone numbers, and enriching customer data for optimized engagement.

Number Verification API Retired in Favor of Verify with Silent Authentication

We retired the Number Verification API on September 30, 2025, consolidating silent authentication into the Verify API with Silent Authentication. This unified approach provided a secure and user-friendly experience, with automatic fallbacks to SMS, RCS, WhatsApp, email, or voice OTPs when Silent Authentication wasn’t possible. Developers benefited from a simplified build process, enhanced fraud protection, and access to new features. A detailed migration guide supported the transition.

Smarter Video Experiences

Great calls don’t just happen; they need to adapt to real-world conditions. Last quarter, we invested in features that improve call quality, accessibility, and control so developers can deliver smooth, reliable video experiences for every participant.

VP9 with Scalable Video Coding Released for Routed Sessions

We made VP9 with Scalable Video Coding (SVC) generally available for Routed Sessions in the Video API. VP9 was already supported in P2P Relayed sessions, and with SVC, it now allows scalable layers within a single stream. That means better efficiency, higher quality at lower bitrates, and more resilience to packet and frame loss. Streams can also adapt more easily to different network conditions and device capabilities.

Version 1.2 of the Video Reference App for React Released

Our React Video Reference App hit version 1.2 last quarter, introducing Live Captions to improve accessibility. Alongside that, we polished stability, boosted test coverage, cleaned up code readability, updated dependencies, and ensured full compatibility with the latest Video API.

Video API v2.31.0 – More Control & Better Telephony Integration

We rolled out version 2.31.0 of the Video API, which adds several developer-facing enhancements: you can now set a maximum bitrate for video publishers to better match varying network conditions; moderators can force disconnect participants to maintain session control; and publishers receive audio level updates even when muted (helpful to indicate "you’re muted" prompts). On the telephony side, integration got easier: Android apps can use Android ConnectionService without building a custom audio driver, and iOS apps benefit from simplified CallKit support with a default audio device.

Bi-Directional Audio Support Added to Audio Connector

A new update makes the Vonage Video API’s Audio Connectorbi-directional: you can now both send and receive audio in real-time by setting the biDirectional flag to true when starting the Audio Connector.This allows for use cases such as AI-powered conversations, live translations not just to text but back into audio, transcription and feedback loops, and more immersive experiences. 

Post-Call Tools for Better Call Analysis

A call doesn’t end when it hangs up; its data can still be incredibly valuable, and post-call data got even more powerful. We made it easier to capture, review, and summarize what happened on a call, helping developers turn conversations into actionable insights.

Post-Call Transcription and Text Insights Now Available

Post-Call Transcription has been released to General Availability for all users on the Vonage Developer Platform (with TokBox users needing access grants). This feature uses AI to generate transcripts of recorded video calls once an archive is complete, delivering channel-specific audio, word-level timing, confidence scores, and both raw and formatted transcript segments. It’s ideal for use cases like webinars, interviews, and customer support calls, providing accurate, searchable transcripts directly through our REST API.

As part of this release, Post-Call Text Insights is now included within Post-Call Transcription, offering AI-generated summaries alongside transcripts. This enables applications to instantly surface key takeaways from recorded sessions, helping teams save time and speed up review workflows across industries such as education, recruiting, and telehealth.

Together, these features make it easier than ever to extract, search, and understand the content of your recorded video calls.

Reliable Messaging Workflows

Messaging became more resilient and flexible. The Verify API now supports RCS as a first-class channel, unlocking richer authentication flows with interactive content and branded messages. And when a message needs to get through, reliability is everything. We focused on making message delivery smarter and more resilient, so you can engage users with confidence, no matter what channel they’re on.

RCS Support Added to Verify API

To make authentication richer and more interactive, we’ve added Rich Communication Services (RCS) as a new channel in the Verify API. This feature enables faster, richer authentication with features like interactive messages, media, branded content, and action buttons. If the user’s device doesn’t support RCS, the API automatically falls back to the next channel in the workflow. To enable, simply include "rcs" in your Verify API request workflow. For more details, please refer to the announcement blog post.

Message Failover Introduced in Vonage Messages API

In August 2025, we introduced Message Failover in the Vonage Messages API, allowing developers to define fallback messages within the initial request. By including afailoverarray in the message payload, subsequent messages are automatically sent if the primary message is rejected. This feature supports multi-channel failover, enabling seamless transitions between channels like RCS, SMS, and MMS. Additionally, the API now returns aworkflow_idto track the sequence of messages in a failover chain. This enhancement simplifies error handling and improves message delivery reliability.

Developer Experience Enhancements

Our goal is to make building with our APIs as smooth as possible. That’s why we also worked on reducing complexity, giving developers faster access to network capabilities, and offering smarter, multilingual support when you need it.

Embedding CAMARA APIs for Simpler, More Powerful Developer Experience

We’ve improved how our developers access CAMARA-standard network capabilities by embedding them directly inside our products, rather than forcing you to use separate CAMARA endpoints. For example, Silent Authentication via CAMARA is automatically used in our Verify API when it’s supported, falling back gracefully when it’s not. And with the Identity Insights API, you can now fetch SIM Swap indicators, carrier metadata, number formatting, and more; all in a single call. This removes complexity such as handling different CAMARA versions per operator or juggling multiple auth methods.

Vonage Docs, Right in Your Workflow

We launched the Vonage Documentation MCP Server, giving developers instant access to Vonage docs directly inside their workflow. Whether you’re coding in VS Code, building in Cursor, or working with an AI assistant like Claude, you can now pull up API references and guides without leaving your environment. No more context-switching, just the docs you need, right when you need them.

Multilingual AI Assistant Enhances Developer Productivity

We’ve introduced the Vonage AI Assistant, now available across our Developer Portal, Support site, and Slack community. This AI-powered tool provides instant, multilingual support. Developers can quickly access API documentation, tutorials, SDKs, and knowledge articles by simply typing questions in their preferred language. The AI Assistant is accessible via the chat icon on the Developer Portal, the Support website, or by posting in the #ask-vonage-bot channel on the Community Slack.

Conclusion

We are proud of what we achieved in Q3. We can’t wait to see what you create with the new tools we have launched, and we’re already working on what’s next.

Have a question or something to share? Join the conversation on the Vonage Community Slack, stay up to date with the Developer Newsletter, follow us on X (formerly Twitter), subscribe to our YouTube channel for video tutorials, and follow the Vonage Developer page on LinkedIn, a space for developers to learn and connect with the community. Stay connected, share your progress, and keep up with the latest developer news, tips, and events!

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Daniela FacchinettiContent Manager