Apple Explains Google Voice Application 'Rejection' to FCC

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 24, 2009 - 9:04am.

Washington - Apple (NASD: AAPL) told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is investigating the company's rejection of a Google (NASD: GOOG) Voice application for the iPhone, that it has not yet in fact rejected the app, but believes that Google Voice "alter[s]the iPhone's distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone's core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls, text messaging and voicemail." Google Voice allows a user to set a single phone number to handle all calls, and redirects them to home, office or mobile lines; it also provides cheap long distance rates, and free SMS messaging.

For its part, AT&T (NYSE: T) denied any involvement in Google Voice's rejection from Apple's App Store, although it does have an agreement with Apple to limit Internet-based calling services like Skype, and live TV streaming services, to Wi-Fi connections.

"We plan to take a fresh look at possibly authorizing VoIP capabilities on the iPhone for use on AT&T's 3G network," Jim Cicconi, AT&T's senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs, told Reuters.

Google, which also operates an applications store for its Android mobile platform, has acknowledged that it complied with a request from carrier partner T-Mobile to ban use of Android handsets as wireless broadband modems for laptops -- a practice called "tethering."

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/qudf9 (Reuters)

http://snipurl.com/qudo0 (Wired.com)

Published in DMW Daily, August 24, 2009

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Free from MO's

Submitted by FreeVoIP (not verified) on August 26, 2009 - 3:23am.

Until when are we going to have to put up with phone manufacturers, operating system developers and mobile operators dictate us which devices we can use, with what applications and with which carriers?? Would somebody allow it's ISP provider to dictate which PC you could use to navigate? Or which applications you could install and which ones you couldn't? They claim it's because of bandwidth, but it's merely profit based. They don't want to invest and provide the users with what they're asking for. Technology is there for great bandwidth, but they have to invest. So, they ban applications form their phones. It's much easier, cheaper and profitable!