Apple rejected Google Voice almost two weeks ago, removing it from the app store. Now under investigation by the feds, AT&T has pointed the finger at Apple for the rejection. Now in an exciting move Google is moving its rejected application online in an effort to essentially negate any attempts by Apple to police the application.
The new app can be installed as an icon on your homescreen. The specially crafted iPhone-shaped webpage will offer all the features of the original app. In other words, in a move akin to flipping the bird to Steve Jobs, Google has essentially highlighted a way for app developers everywhere to easily publish their rejected content.
[…]
On the other hand the move could usher in a new era of freedom for iPhone users. Freed from Apple’s dictates of what apps are fit and proper, the phone’s true potential could finally be achieved. Rejected apps like eBook readers (rejected in mass over piracy concerns) could simply move online. As the New York Times’ Dave Pogue puts it, “What’s Apple going to do now? Start blocking access to individual Web sites?”
[…]
Google’s decision to defying Apple is an exciting development. And one thing’s for sure — Apple’s likely not happy and is likely trying to scheme how to stop them.
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Oh, oh. There are going to be some pissed-off Apple fan boys after they read this.
Imagine the audacity of Google thinking they can do something the Apple Gods have expressly forbid.
It’s just good old American ingenuity at work.
However, if an individual had done this, they would be sued/destroyed in our DMCA anti-circumvention provisions world.
Google can afford the lawyers and the courts routinely, rightly or wrongly, respect the rights of corporation and shit on peoples constitutional rights.
@noname
(sarcasm on)
Haven’t you heard? The Constitution is just a god damned piece of paper.
(sarcasm off)
Wow – Could Google be any more callous and disrespectful to Apple?
Don’t they know that by giving iPhone owners an option they are actually limiting their choices? This is an affront to Apple and therefore me.
Tsk tsk Google. You are naughty because you are attempting to put a ladder into my exquisite walled garden.
Takes a Big Brother to know one…
#4 You left out that it was paper made from hemp. You can’t even grow that legally in the states now.
If Apple tries to block this I suspect that they will face a class action law suit and fail. Google has seriously dropped a bomb on Apple’s police state.
I’m pretty sure the EU would slap Apple silly if they tried to stop an app that ran that way there.
The wacky part is I think the Iphone will sell better because Google did this.
I think it’s more a move on Apple’s part to protect themselves from lawsuits from AT&T. They could really care less that the app is on Google.
David Pogue:
“In short, what Apple and AT&T have accomplished with their heavy-handed, Soviet information-control style is not to bury these useful apps. Instead, Apple/AT&T have elevated them to martyr status — and, in effect, thrown down a worldwide challenge to programmers everywhere.
“Get around THIS,” they’re saying.
But guess what? It won’t take long. They’ve put a rock in the river, but the water will just find a way around it.”
Pretty much sums it up.
Except, how do you pay for an application that’s moved to the web? Clearly this is a model that will only work for free applications.
So jbenson2 and pedro, what sort of cell phones do you guys run? I’m currently use an iPhone 3G and an HTC Dream running Cupcake. Most of my current dev is on the Android.
Never really liked Nokia’s N9x series (their basic handsets are good) or RIM and WinMobile. I’m not baiting, just curious.
Any application, any application can easily be hosted in OS virtualization with a world wide web interface. It’s called a, “cloud”. Ask a 15 year old. I’m running a Windows Server 2008 Active Directory in a virtualized computer cloud, there is no server room, no server. iTunes can be a web page, un-teathered.
Hence the recent resignation of Eric Schmidt from Apple’s Board.
I think Google should just say, “Oh, well, Apple, go fuck yourselves,” and not let iPhone users use their services. If stupid iPhone owners want access to Google services, they can dump their shitty iPhones and get a better one that lets them do what they want to do. Oh, wait, I forgot, iPhone owners are not logical. They just buy Apple crap and then hope that Apple will eventually let them do what they need to do. “Oh, please Apple!! Please!!! Find us worthy enough to add the features we want!” Totally retarded…
#15 Good choice. Great for mail and conference calls.
I think Apple and AT&T are going to have their knuckles rapped by the FCC.
Part of leasing airwaves is the clause “for the good of the people”. Just because no one else has had their knuckles rapped is no reason not to start now.
This is pure genius!!! By Apple. They are under investigation. So now they can show that they can choose what they want to put on the Apple store but any developer is welcome to create a website that can be used with the iPhone.
The lawsuit just went away with Google’s help which was probably planned by Google and Apple.
Now with Apple possibly planning a “paypal” system, they can set their software up so you pay a very small fee to get it on the phone.
They aren’t censoring, they aren’t limiting iPhone users, they reduce bandwidth, and they don’t have to go to court.
This is beautiful and artful tactic.
#13. Good point. I wonder, how long it will be before the Google Pod? A virtualized iPhone with a web interface? Being able to run our iPhone apps from any mobile device with a WAP browser?
#10: Are you serious? There are a million for-pay, downloadable apps on the web for computers. You pay, then get emailed a link to where you can download what you bought.
#15 – So PeeDrool, you’re the guy that bought that HTC. They were wondering who the hell bought that. I guess that gives them .000175 market share now.
#11 – QB
I’ve been using a Blackberry tied into my home WiFi for better reception along with Google Voice for voicemail-to-email transcriptions.
The T-Mobile reception is weak in this area. I might jump ship to Android and a different carrier when my contract expires. But I’ll continue to my Google Voice number.
Good for Google on this one. When are Apple fan boys going to see the darkness in Apple’s business model? They are no different then any other business. In fact their profit margins and controlling nature of their hardware and software make them seem worse in many ways. Certainly no benefit to anyone but Apple. I think Apple really needs to have a better way of deciding these applications that will be accepted. They obviously cannot be unbiased.
This harms AT&T more than Apple.
#25 Dale
I don’t how AT&T could look any worse – this is just more of the same.
#1 – You’re both idiots. I’m an apple fan boy and could care less where usefull apps come from…the itunes store or elsewhere.
#10 – It’s called “advertising” and Google is quite good at it. You don’t have to be able to sell an app to monetize it.
#13 – This has absolutely nothing to do with Eric Schmidt leaving the Apple board.
The sole culprit of Google Voice being removed from the app store can only be attributed to AT&T. What would Apple care? It’s a kick ass app, and kick ass apps SELL more iphones. Not having it hurts Apple. No, this is about money. The money AT&T would loose. One of the things that the Google Voice app does is free SMS texting. Apple has sold a total of 40 million iphones since inception. Let’s be conservative and say half of those subscribers, 20 million, pay the $20 a month for unlimited texting. With Google Voice they could cancel that part of their AT&T plan and AT&T would loose $400 million dollars a month, or $4.8 billion a year! This can all laid at the feet of AT&T.
#22 jbenson2
Pretty sano. I think the iPhone has the best user experience right now but I suspect that the Android will kick it up as decent hardware comes online and the OS smooths out. Android next for me.
Apple: why 2009 is starting to look a lot like 1984.
#3 This has absolutely nothing to do the with the constitution. Apple is not denying your right to free speech, your right to pursue happiness, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right of women to vote or any other constitutional right. No corporation does this in the US. Almost every corporation in the US tries to screw its customers. You can vote with your dollars. Agree to the terms provided by the private company and buy their product, or find another company and product that meets your desires.
This is a stupid, nothing article that offers zero news. Google Voice has always been online and there’s been a mobile version long available too, accessible through safari on your iphone. It’s basically works, but basically sucks. Google has indicated that they are going to beef up this page so it looks more like an app, but it isn’t online yet as near as I can tell. So the gist of this article is just stupid.