Google Uses Undocumented API in Google Voice Search App

[kdarling]

Apple made the YouTube and Google Maps apps for the phone, not Google.

Who knows, but Google made the Maps app first for all other phones, so I suspect they did the iPhone version as well... especially when they started including their cell tower location capabilities that other phones had first.

If Apple wants to not care about Google's use of the proximity sensor in the new version of Google Mobile App then fine - I'm all for that - but they need to give all developers a level playing field and get rid of the Mysterious Black Box of Approvals.

+1

... it seems like the iPhone is much more accessible to small developers than most cell phones or PDAs.

That would be true for BREW based dumb phone apps.

But Blackberries are especially cheap and easy to develop for. So are WM phones, and most Java enabled phones. Even better for the Java based ones is that you can develop apps using PCs, Macs, UNIX boxes, whatever.

Heck, there are tiny BASIC-like interpreters for many smartphones, so just about anyone can write an app in their home for their own use, or give it to friends. Apple forbids such interpreters, so that they can control EVERY app.

 

[TitoC]

. . . Openness to third party developers has ALWAYS been a major cornerstone of Microsoft's strategy for their platforms.

That last quote as well as earlier you having the words "Microsoft" and "design" in the same sentence really cracked me up.

Thanks. I needed that.

And yes, I am a designer as well as being a programmer for 22 years. I and DO know what I am talking about. There can be more than two thoughts/opinions in this forum thank you very much.

But thanks for the laughs anyway.

 

[jaw04005]

Who knows, but Google made the Maps app first for all other phones, so I suspect they did the iPhone version as well... especially when they started including their cell tower location capabilities that other phones had first.

You can suspect all you want, but it's public knowledge that Apple built the Maps application.

Straight from Steve Jobs:

"The (application) we were able to write ... blows away any Google Maps client." Jobs said, referring to the Web search company that provided some technology for the map software. "The experience you have using it is unbelievable."

All Things D Conference, 2007

http://d5.allthingsd.com/20070530/d5-gates-jobs-interview/

 

[johnnyjibbs]

I'm sure Apple will gladly throw a blind eye or two towards Google. They practically sleep together anyway.

Could you ever think a Google app (or Adobe app - think Flash - for that matter) would be rejected? Of course not.

Does that give Google an unfair competitive advantage? Yes.

Does Apple care in light of the bigger picture? No.


Plus this feature will sooner or later come to Android. Apple wants to make sure iPhone has everything that Android has and more. What a predicament for Google...

 

[EVH]

it's google. They have made YouTube and maps for the iPhone. Apple needs them! Apple won't care.

Apple creates all bundled apps in-house.

This includes both the Maps and the YouTube app. Yes, they run the same Google services (as can be seen from a the G1) but I'm almost 100% that Apple designed and created them themselves.

The real problem with calling hidden APIs as in the case of the Google voice dialler is that if Apple updates / modifys them, the app will be broken. This wouldn't be so much of a problem if it's only Google who has this access (only 1 broken app).

Which is why I'm guessing that Google got precedence for this API because Apple is planning to roll it out in the next update, publically, as it's probably near-finalised.

 

[migue]

This is true. The are very large communities of developers hacking the life out of Windows Mobile, and in most ways making it a hole lot better, while not voiding any warranties.

People probably don't realize this, but for every 1 iPhone App, there are like 10 Win Mo apps, and most are made by Joe Schmoe developer in their bedroom (and are free).

Perspectives change. That was probably true one year ago (also viz-a-viz the venerable Palm ecosystem). Since then, it has probably caught up significantly in a very short time, at least judging from the official list on the app store (which doesn't include the jailbreak apps).

WinMo, with all this humbug, has been around for how long?

 

[Quillz]

Perspectives change. That was probably true one year ago (also viz-a-viz the venerable Palm ecosystem). Since then, it has probably caught up significantly in a very short time, at least judging from the official list on the app store (which doesn't include the jailbreak apps).

WinMo, with all this humbug, has been around for how long?

I believe around 8 years, as the first release was actually under the name "PocketPC 2000."

 

[kas23]

Perspectives change. That was probably true one year ago (also viz-a-viz the venerable Palm ecosystem). Since then, it has probably caught up significantly in a very short time, at least judging from the official list on the app store (which doesn't include the jailbreak apps).

WinMo, with all this humbug, has been around for how long?

However, the majority of apps in the app store are games, which you can only have so much use for.

OTOH, the vast majority of Win Mo apps are due to the dev community having to make new hacks for each new device.

These guys are great for making hacks:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/index.php?

The problem remains is that it is very hard to quantify how many Win Mo apps are actually out there.

 

[Phil A.]

Can't say I'm fussed if apple pull it - I searched for "Edam Cheese" and got "Teen Panties" ......

That could be kind of embarrassing

 

[Babybandit]

I'm sure Apple will gladly throw a blind eye or two towards Google. They practically sleep together anyway.

Adobe app - think Flash - for that matter) would be rejected? Of course not.

Heh! Sleep together, but thinking deeper... It's true!

As for flash, didn't they reject it?

 

[kas23]

That could be kind of embarrassing

Yeah, especially since it saves your most recent searches. Or you could just use this as an excuse if you get caught: "well honey, I was really trying to say..."

 

[stownsend3]

This IS NOT the only app using the proximity sensor. Has anyone used the "fake call" app? If you use this app and receive a fake call (especially in the dark) you can see the red proximity light turn on so. If you answer the fake call and then place your finger over the proximity sensor, the screen goes black. If you take it off, it turns back on like a normal call screen.

Don't know if they're doing this the same way as google, but it's definitely being used in the app.

 

[The Phazer]

Who knows, but Google made the Maps app first for all other phones, so I suspect they did the iPhone version as well... especially when they started including their cell tower location capabilities that other phones had first.

I know - I was talking to a member of Google's mobile interface UI team the other week about it

She said that the maps and YouTube apps were definately made by Apple - indeed, she was doing a presentation on the YouTube app for other phone platforms and talking about their priorities for it... none of which the iPhone app can do.

Phazer

 

[costmo]

So no, the iPhone is not the most accessible platforms for small developers. It is exactly the opposite.

Small developers are the most accessible platform for the iPhone?

 

[Bubba Satori]

I'm guessing Apple allowed this because it is Google and not some random developer. Google has the proper resources and relationship with Apple that would lead me to believe Apple trusts them much more than others.

What's a random developer ? "Trusts them." Why ? What are "proper resources" ? What are you talking about ?

 

[kdarling]

You can suspect all you want, but it's public knowledge that Apple built the Maps application.

I know - I was talking to a member of Google's mobile interface UI team the other week about it She said that the maps and YouTube apps were definately made by Apple - ...

Thanks, guys. It just seems very odd that the infamous dropping pins, which appeared first in the Apple version, are now in all versions.

 

[eastcoastsurfer]

That last quote as well as earlier you having the words "Microsoft" and "design" in the same sentence really cracked me up.

Thanks. I needed that.

And yes, I am a designer as well as being a programmer for 22 years. I and DO know what I am talking about. There can be more than two thoughts/opinions in this forum thank you very much.

But thanks for the laughs anyway.

Actually he's right. MS has coddled developers for a long time. They don't always get it right, but when it comes to providing lots of ways to develop for a platform MS has generally gone above and beyond. MS learned long ago that the more developer you have the more applications you have and the more people will use your OS. It's a simple equation really, and one I'm surprised Apple has such a hard time figuring out.

Apple on the other hand treats 3rd party developers with disdain. They FINALLY removed the NDA on the iphone SDK so books can be released and developers can talk to one another. How does that did keeping the NDA on so long help developers? Originally Apple didn't even want 3rd party devs on the iPhone. How did that help devs? Apples documentation is a joke compared to what you can find on the MSDN site. The only first class language for the Apple platform is obj-c. With .net on windows you have your choice of many many languages that all have the same access to the underlying system libraries.

MS has done a lot of things wrong, but they have routinely beat Apple when it comes to how they treat and look at 3rd party developers.

 

[Bubba Satori]

MS has done a lot of things wrong, but they have routinely beat Apple when it comes to how they treat and look at 3rd party developers.

Yep.

 

[dirtdevil56]

Actually he's right. MS has coddled developers for a long time. They don't always get it right, but when it comes to providing lots of ways to develop for a platform MS has generally gone above and beyond. MS learned long ago that the more developer you have the more applications you have and the more people will use your OS. It's a simple equation really, and one I'm surprised Apple has such a hard time figuring out.

Apple on the other hand treats 3rd party developers with disdain. They FINALLY removed the NDA on the iphone SDK so books can be released and developers can talk to one another. How does that did keeping the NDA on so long help developers? Originally Apple didn't even want 3rd party devs on the iPhone. How did that help devs? Apples documentation is a joke compared to what you can find on the MSDN site. The only first class language for the Apple platform is obj-c. With .net on windows you have your choice of many many languages that all have the same access to the underlying system libraries.

MS has done a lot of things wrong, but they have routinely beat Apple when it comes to how they treat and look at 3rd party developers.

That must be why MS stuff has been plaugued with instability. Apple keeps a tighter grip on what goes on to their OS.

 

[kdarling]

That must be why MS stuff has been plaugued with instability. Apple keeps a tighter grip on what goes on to their OS.

The two most unstable programs I've ever had on XP have been Safari and iTunes.

As for phone apps, I don't think anyone would or could call the iPhone OS or apps "stable". If the iPhone didn't have a controlled crash back to the home screen, it'd be the pits.

 

[3247]

That must be why MS stuff has been plaugued with instability. Apple keeps a tighter grip on what goes on to their OS.

The main problem with Windows' stability, however, is that it runs on a much higher variety of hardware, including outright cheap hardware with even cheaper drivers.

 

[PatrickRS]

Seems Google went by that old adage that it's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

 

[detz]

Old news. It's Google, probably the most powerful software company around today, did you expect Apple to not allow their app on the store?

 

[JP3G]

This IS NOT the only app using the proximity sensor. Has anyone used the "fake call" app? If you use this app and receive a fake call (especially in the dark) you can see the red proximity light turn on so. If you answer the fake call and then place your finger over the proximity sensor, the screen goes black. If you take it off, it turns back on like a normal call screen.

Don't know if they're doing this the same way as google, but it's definitely being used in the app.

+1; why does every one here snobs his remark..

 

[Sysbase]

I think it has to do with the forum?

+1; why does every one here snobs his remark..

I've offen asked that question myself.. some elitism