Apple's Google Voice Rejection Wakes Up A Dormant FCC; Investigation Begins
from the whoops dept
We've had a bunch of stories about Apple's rather arbitrary nature in rejecting iPhone apps it doesn't like -- including ones where it claims that they're not allowed because they compete with Apple. However, Apple's recent decision to reject Google's Voice application didn't just attract general public interest in Apple's policies, it appears to have awoken the latest crop of FCC bosses. Yes, the FCC has requested more info from Apple, AT&T and Google concerning Apple's rejection of the Google app. I wonder how the random Apple drone who made that decision is feeling right now?Either way, this isn't good for anyone. The FCC's reasoning is that it:
"has a mission to foster a competitive wireless marketplace, protect and empower consumers, and promote innovation and investment."That's actually a bit of a stretch on the FCC's actual mandate. And as ridiculous as I think Apple's actions are here, having the FCC get involved doesn't seem good for anyone either. The FCC shouldn't be involved in deciding what applications get put on phones. Apple's decision has angered a bunch of people, with some swearing off the iPhone because of it. In those cases, those people have other options and other phones to go to. The situation doesn't require the FCC to get involved. It should just require Apple coming to its senses and getting rid of its silly policy of outright rejections of apps it doesn't like.
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Filed Under: app store, fcc, gogle voice, iphone, rejection
Companies: apple, at&t, fcc, google
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Re: Re: Google's Linux OS, "Android" isn't open?
Also not all of Android's code is open yet IIRC but it is planned to be eventually.
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1. This doesn't seem the work of a drone. It looks like a deliberate decision from at&t to hinder competition.
2. As such, it makes sense for the FCC to at least ask, since it's in charge of regulating AT&T (I may be wrong on this one).
The FCC is not deciding what apps get put on phones, it's just making sure that AT&T is not hindering competition and IMHO that's a good thing. And Apple coming to its senses doesn't seem like a likely alternative.
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Wait, no I don't...
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I don't like that it's the FCC doing this either, but it's better than nobody at all.
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Re: apple apps
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Curious
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Re: Curious
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disagree with your take
Us developers try to do the right thing and we're treated like this. This is the worst platform ive had dealings with BUT i need to build for it because im trying to make a living. I just can't ignore it.
I really hope that Apple/AT&T gets a good kick up the ass for this!
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At the end of the day, it isn't any different than dragging them in for net neutrality issues, which are really consumer and not technical issues.
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There is no reason to believe the rejection of the Google Voice app was done by a drone, especially since a 3d party GV app was specifically approved at the highest level and sold for months before being pulled along with the official GV app.
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FCC
My confidence in the FCC is just about as high as MSFT's mobile OS.
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WTF???
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Re:
Mike thinks the FCC is overstepping the bounds of it's authority.
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Hmm. Where the hell is Rob R.?
Oh, and for clarification: I'm not narrow minded. I'm just an arrogant ass.
And damn proud of it.
So when Apple comes out with the next new iPhone (killing employees indirectly in the meantime), idiots will flock to buy it and all this crap will repeat itself.
Oh, and AT&T will continue screwing over customers while they also support it. What was the last thing dropped again?
Right. I lost track too.
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Thats what apple fans get a big kick in the face.
Well you know what they say the apple never rots far from the tree.
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Re: Thats what apple fans get a big kick in the face.
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Re: Thats what apple fans get a big kick in the face.
- Substitute "a" for "the", just a suggestion
"[Micrsoft] is competitor friendly"
- Ha - that's a good one :)
"...and its software is designed with the customers needs in mind."
- And another, you are on a roll !
That's funny !
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Re: Thats what apple fans get a big kick in the face.
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Yay for the FCC!
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mike = wrong as usual
Net neutrality is all about contention ratios. If you pay for a level of service, telcos should not be allowed to use their government granted monopolies to prohibit you from using the level of service you paid for. That's exactly what's going on here. If you pay for 5 gb of transfer, or 30 gb of transfer, it's none of the telco's business how you use that.
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Re: mike = wrong as usual
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It's utter crap. The voicemail transcriptions are always horribly off and the sound quality of my recordings on the server are terrible for some reason.
I didn't even think there would be an app though. I've got Google Voice bookmarked on my iPhone just so I can send free text messages.
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FTC?
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Re: FTC?
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Re: FTC?
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Re: FTC?
Next thing you know the FDA will get involved.
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Re: Re: FTC?
Protectionist Smug Apple, meet future monopoly google.
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Re: Re: Re: FTC?
"Protectionist Smug Apple, meet future monopoly google."
Oh, another Anti Google post. Figures. Because Google has money everyone wants to take them down and take all the money they make.
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Re: FTC?
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/169449/fcc_questions_apple_over_google_voice .html
Read and be educated.
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ROCK!
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When Steve Ballmer said something along the lines of 'People's perceptions of Microsoft will change' I took note.
So the most recent print version of The Onion features the headline "Apple Claims New iPhone Only Visible To Most Loyal Of Customers", which is odd to be on the front page, considering The Onion's Apple-friendly demographic. In fact, I am considering suspending and even canceling my subscription. But, what's more interesting is the question of "How did that make the front page?" All roads lead to Rome, and perhaps they received money from somewhere.
I wouldn't be surprised if an unsuspecting third party, who has most to loose, and lot of money in the bank as a result of a very interesting merger/acquisition in the past few months, is creating much of the astroturf we see today at other sites.
The tipping point for me on this was when Mike Arrington wrote commentary about leaving his iPhone on the basis of Apple not being able to negotiate with Google for a GrandCentral number or some dumb thing. His rant continued about how great the Pre is, and at this point is when I tuned out.
The truth of the matter is this: No carrier can be 100% to anyone 100% of the time. If you have beef, you need to call the carrier and say "Hey asshole, I don't have service here." Any decent carrier will then include that in their yearly capex expenditures and will attempt to get you something that works.
The only reason I don't have service at my house is because when my provider wanted to build a tower a block away from me was because I didn't show up for the Homeowners Association Meeting and was as vocal with them as I was with the carrier.
Yes, Arrigton, I complained, and they put their money where their mouth was, but I didn't get a cell site they were willing to build because I didn't whine loud enough to my HOA. Grass not cut every damned week? Fence not to HOA specs? Maybe you have the same problem.
Get real. Arrington is a whiner, but not a whiner enough.
The best thing to do is catalog the number of Anti-Google and Anti-Apple articles over the past few months, especially here. This seems to be a deliberate attempt by a third party to control the conversation. Using Google Voice as a scapegoat is stupid.
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Re:
So the most recent print version of The Onion features the headline "Apple Claims New iPhone Only Visible To Most Loyal Of Customers", which is odd to be on the front page, considering The Onion's Apple-friendly demographic. In fact, I am considering suspending and even canceling my subscription. But, what's more interesting is the question of "How did that make the front page?" All roads lead to Rome, and perhaps they received money from somewhere.
Dude, seriously... Cancel your subscription. You have absolutely NO sense of humor. Oh sure, it's all fun and games until they make fun of your apple fanboism. Get a grip idiot. The rest of your post = tl;dr nor did I care after reading that third paragraph.
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A lot of (big, very well known) companies work together behind the scenes without anyone, including the government, knowing.
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http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/31/i-quit-the-iphone
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquire r/news/1495731/steve-ballmer-shocked-yahoo-shareholders-response
http://www.crn.com/software/218900 349
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10301028-16.html
http://www.crn.com/software/218900349
http ://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/yahoo-got-a-great-deal-says-microsofts-ballmer/
http://www.blo omberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aAKluP7yIwJY
There are others that influenced this comment but I can't seem to find a key Ballmer/Bloomberg/Reuters article. Perhaps it's been retracted.
I think I remember something to the likes of, and I'm paraphrasing 'Perceptions will change' about something. The article itself was surreal.
Shortly after, the VP at Wergner Enstron was promoted. Perhaps if you search for Ballmer at Bloomberg you'll have better luck. But maybe the quote never existed. I'd like to believe the former than the latter.
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Equal Justice
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Re: Equal Justice
Any ways, the reason they do not look at Apple, is Apple is not large enough, even if almost every action it does screams 'Monopolistic/AntiCompetetive Practices'.
Make your hardware work only with ITunes?
Kill ITunes ability to work with competitors?
Make your software only usable on hardware purchased from you?
Control competitors software, even blocking it entirely?
I mean, if Microsoft closed off Windows Embedded and rejected an office app or browser since they already offer software for that, you know there would be a mob demanding the head of every exec, and the government to come down like a ton of bricks. Yet when apple does it, people cheer and thank them for keeping things simple and 'just working.'
Still that should be for the FTC, not FCC.
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Monopolistic/AntiCompetetive Practices
ATT whines about bandwidth, but it's not about that. ATT hasn't enabled MMS on the iPhone 2G (edge) since its release two years ago. Every other phone on the market except iPhone has MMS and we don't see the networks crashing from people sending pictures and movies to each other. Nope- it's pure greed and RICO might not be too harsh a response by the feds.
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Re: Monopolistic/AntiCompetetive Practices
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Re: Monopolistic/AntiCompetetive Practices
Go get a Palm Pre!
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Smells like a PR thread
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Seems this is a thread funded by PR. I find it hard to believe any number of unbiased people would actually say these types of thins.
If it is all PR crap, Someone's sure getting their moneys worth!
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Iphone app store??
I don't expect much to come of it unless the FCC, can blame AT&T cause the current administrations staff has been reportedly a big fan of Apple (this makes sense) and has said they were displeased there werent any apple computers in the white house.
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apple & google voice
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Apple Apps
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It's only a letter
My own personal thoughts: Maybe I'm completely missing the point, but I fail to see the big deal with why AT&T would want Apple to reject the app. The fact of the matter is that Google Voice is only a proxy. You have to be on the phone to talk to anyone, you can't do it over the interwebs, and to make sure to answer SMS messages in a timely manner you'd have to receive (and reply) from the actual phone itself (thereby eliminating the 'loss of revenue' argument almost entirely).
I am a Google Voice user. I got my invite a few weeks ago, and after trying it out I'm impressed. I've begun the process of switching all my phone numbers to GV. The whole point of the application, to me, is to ease the ability of sorting phone records, voicemails, and text messages.
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Still a legal issue
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Re:
We're not dealing with nuclear dynamics here, we're dealing with cell phones and applications.
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Re: Re:
Really? I thought we were dealing with a divorce.
I'm lost.
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Isn't Google's Schmidt on Apple's Board?
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Help protect US DVD and music Industry from legal pirates
US global trade debacles endangering US copywrite protection: Need Pres Obama attention.
US lost to Antiqua in the UIGEA unfair trade dispute. US offered the small Caribean Nation $500.000 compensation. The World Trade Organization panel awarded the right for Antigua to violate US copyright protection. Antiqua can now produce copies of U.S. DVDs and music CDs without having to worry about copyright infringement up to $21 million every year.
It's a landmark moment for global trade. Mark Mendel, lead lawyer quote "That has only been done once before and is, I believe, a very potent weapon."
In response to the arbitrator's decision the U.S. has requested Antigua hold off on imposing sanctions authorized by the WTO until Washington can revise its commitments to the organization. What happen if Antiqua decides to implement the WTO decision? ZookZ (zookz.com) has announced plans to capitalize on the 2007 WTO ruling
Comment: Using US patent rights a " stake" in global trade issue should be a concern of Congress in Patent Reform Act of 2009.
The simmering dispute escallated into Goliath.- Recent development in the fight against the UIGEA have mushroomed into:
a) word that the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) is considering filing a class action lawsuit against the government over the UIGEA.
b) Violation of Trade Agreements. June 14, 2009, Amy Calistri
On June 10th, the European Commission released a report finding that U.S. online gaming laws and their enforcement are in violation of the World Trade Organization's General Agreement of Trade and Services (GATS). The European Commission's investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged in December 2007 by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) following the United States' 2006 passage of the UIGEA.
The report made it perfectly clear that there are high costs associated with U.S. infractions, citing the losses in revenue and stock market capitalization incurred by European companies who had to vacate the U.S. market.
c).Seven countries now including Australia, Canada and Macau have filed compensation claims against the United States in its ongoing internet gambling WTO case with Antigua and Barbuda.
Rep Barney Frank Statement on European Commission’s Report on U.S. Internet Gambling Laws.
. The report concludes that the U.S. measures constitute an obstacle to trade that is inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. It also concludes that U.S. laws deny access and discriminate against foreign suppliers of gambling and betting services inconsistently with U.S. WTO obligations.
“This is further argument for repealing the law which currently restricts the personal freedom of American adults to gamble online.
Spirit of innovation on Felony level Bush: Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act.
An Inventor, author of this article awaits the USDA reply from his offer to ease the suffering of Rural America from escallating unemployment. which resulted from legislation prohibiting breeders' interstate and foreign transport of their product.The inventor narrates the economic situation and solution for job creation in its articles on 333chamfil.newsvine.com entitled "Economic recovery for the rural areas and small businessmen" and "Challenge to athletics, couches". The Rooster Electronic Invention can be jumpstarted anywhere and can apply online license in the Carribean but prefer US. Surf Yahoo.video for prototypes and search for cockfighting alternative, cockfight skills and High score wins. The invention proposes an ONLINE Roosterbox. Browse : roostertronic2.webs.com
Intellectual Property Office Phil.* Rooster Electronic Boxing * Application No. : 1200002498 * Published IPO Official Gazette *Inventor : Eduardo De La Peña
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Skype
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Stay out
Btw: Skype on iPhone only works over wifi, it doesn't work over AT&T's data network. Google does have a way (not as elegant) to get Google Voice onto Safari. So the functionality won't be missing on the iPhone, just one of the ways of implementing it.
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FCC an Apple app rejections
2. It is good for everyone long term - short term,
(and what isn't in the US now? That's why we have
the current economic crisis!) it is likely not so
good.
It's like the AT&T breakup - long term, excellent,
short term, not so good.
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Just a thought
Solution go open source like UBuntu... OH WAIT I can't!!! cause Dell's drivers choke on anything but XP or up. Not to mention the AMD Dual Core fix patch... I could go on but I hope you get the point.
Oh and I just love to see how far the FCC can take this since there working off of dam near punch hole era computers.
Kinda sad at all this because I was looking forward to a fully capable MAC that could fit in a fanny pack.
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what about contracts and costs
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What's AT&T's problem ?
This would be like AT&T blocking paid calls to yellow pages because it was run by Sprint.
Or do AT&T offer a competing service they'd prefer we all used ?
But either way, it's a free market. If no GV is a deal breaker, choose a different phone. FCC should concentrate on the crimes of the cablecos, not trivia like this.
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Re: What's AT&T's problem ?
Further, you can dump AT&T and move to a competitor without concerns over your mobile number, because the only number you need to give anyone is your GoogleVoice number. It makes you way less dependant on your mobile carrier.
It's a very typical Google move, trying to get into between you and what you want to do, and finding a way to make money from getting in the middle of everyone else's business.
Apple on the other hand is making serious coin on their exclusive deals with AT&T, and they don't want people to think about other carriers (and other phones as a result). Nothing shall come between Apple and it's money.
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Re: Apple's Rejections
It's as if they have three manic-depressive approvers - a liberal, a conservative and a complete lunatic - and depending on their moods... they just reject or approve on whims.
Let's face it... when Baby Shaker GETS approved, and a self-help application doesn't - you know there are issues.
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Time for a car analogy
Apple should be forced to open up / People should buy something else if they don't like it.
Sometimes we are talking about software, and perhaps, just a little, compatibility et. al. makes sense. We are talking about HARDWARE. (Yes, yes, we are talking about software compatibility _OF_ hardware. Doesn't change what I'm about to write.) As in this is a physical thing, book, table, phone, car that's I've bought and the seller (Apple) wants to dictate to the buyer (you) what you can or can't do with it _AFTER_ they've sold it to you. The apologists are screaming, "If you don't like Apple's rules then don't buy that product." That's not really an answer.
If we look at it through the ever popular device of the car analogy it becomes painfully obvious just how senseless that response it.
If I buy a car from Hyundai and they said that I can only use Hyundai parts in it. Should I be able to install Motocraft spark plugs (assuming Motocraft makes compatible plugs)? I can hear the Hyundai apologists yelling, "If you don't like that policy, then just don't buy a Hyundai."
Perhaps Hyundai has a deal with Exxon, they'll sell you a Hyundai at a discount, but you have to use Exxon gas for two years. They even install a special hexagonal opening in the gas tank that only special Exxon gas pumps use. People who don't want to use Exxon, perhaps some other company sells cheaper gas or there aren't any Exxon stations in their neck of the woods, create a Hyundai gas tank to standard gas tank adapter so that you can fill it up with gas from any gas station. Hyundai claims that this is stealing their intellectual property, and that it's illegal to adapt Hyundai cars to use standard gas pumps. If people are allowed to do it then we are helping the terrorists, and the drug dealers and all sorts of _bad_things_ will happen.
Finally, Google gets into the automobile industry by selling a new engine module that plugs into your motor and gets you 15 more miles per gallon (it also sends a copy of every where you were driving to Google servers, but we'll ignore that for now). Hyundai says you can't install that because it duplicates existing functionality, and of course, if you get more miles per gallon Exxon sells less gas and Hyundai gets a smaller cut. You see Hyundai has established a process where all third party parts have to be sold through their store and they have the right to approve or disprove and Hyundai parts. It's all for the good of their customers you see. The Hyundai store has over 50,000 addons so far. Most are various color and style mirrors, fenders, and a horn that sounds like your car is farting. Serious addons, ones that improve the handling, lighting, fuel efficiency, or even the types of music you can play are randomly rejected. But hey, if you don't like it, you can always buy another car, so it's O.K.
That sound about right? If Hyundai can do it today, then perhaps Ford will do it tomorrow. If Apple can do it today, then perhaps Microsoft will do it tomorrow. You can't run whatever software you want on your iPhone, or your PC. We're not saying they have to support it, but they shouldn't be allowed to prevent you from trying yourself. Just like I can install whatever hardware/software in my car once I've bought it. I should have the same rights with my cell phone, my PC, my books.
The government should be stepping in to make sure this is the case. If you modify the base band radio in your cell phone then you may not be able to legally use it, just as if you elevate you car too high, or don't put any seat belts and directionals on your car, you can't drive it on the street.
Perhaps it should be the FCC, perhaps someone else.
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FTC
And for those who will shout that they don't have a monopoly, they don't have to. Certain behaviors are antitrust whether or not you have an existing monopoly. Creating artificial barriers (as with iTunes/iPod) that exist solely to block competition is illegal. If this is what it takes to get regulators to take notice, so be it.
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