Comments on: Apple pulls Google Voice apps from iPhone store

By: Chris Meadows

Chris Meadows — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:59:41 +0000

It turns out that AT&T actually wasn't behind the rejection of the app. John Gruber's source who said it was got it wrong, misinterpreting his source's saying "Apple hasn't rejected the app" to mean that AT&T had rather than that Apple was actually "still considering" it. I've updated the article with the link.

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:56:24 +0000

Great point, Stephen. I wonder, however, if Google will have some wireless service options that Apple won’t. If nothing else, we know about Google’s own interest in wireless. Thanks. David

By: Stephen Ward

Stephen Ward — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:15:55 +0000

I’m none too fond of Apple’s slow and opaque app approval process (especially for updates to existing apps), but I put this one down to AT&T rather than Apple. This ran afoul of the same business drivers that have thus far prevented legit 3rd-party “tethering” apps.

I doubt that *any* telco is going to be happy with allowing a phone-based service that competes directly with their own revenue streams (whether from texting, international calls, or tethering service). If they can find a way to prevent it, they will.

The problem, in Apple’s case, is that there’s a single point of contact where AT&T could apply the necessary pressure. A more open ecosystem would make that harder.