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Apple Publicly Responds to FCC Inquiry, Comments on Google Voice App Status

Forgive me if I'm getting this wrong, I don't use GV service...but doesn't GV only take voicemail from the GV number? Doesn't GV only use Google contacts? And doesn't the GV Dialer only use the GV number as the originating phone number? Now if calling out from GV were to hijack AT&Ts cellular service to make the call using the GV number as the originating number is the case...then I see the problem...but if it uses VOIP for outgoing calls thats another thing entirely.

The thing is that it doesn't effect the iPhone dialer for using your cell number nor does it block you from getting voicemails sent to your cellular number...it only takes voicemails from the GV number right?

So in effect either Apple is lying to the FCC or has no idea what the GV app actually does.
 
Did Apple really need to feature this on their homepage? Honestly...
(screenshot below)

mmuc5y.jpg
 
rth231 said:
Did Apple really need to feature this on their homepage? Honestly...
(screenshot below)

mmuc5y.jpg
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Yes, as to alleviate any confusion the matter may have caused to consumers. This is, after all, a matter of Apple protecting it's customers from confusion. So this makes sense.
 
Sounds like...

Apple spent a lot of time and effort developing this distinct and innovative way to seamlessly deliver core functionality of the iPhone.
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Sounds to me like:

Apple spent a lot of time and effort developing this distinct and innovative way to seamlessly deliver core functionality of the iPhone and we don't want anyone to do it better..
Click to expand...
 
brockm said:
Yes, as to alleviate any confusion the matter may have caused to consumers. This is, after all, a matter of Apple protecting it's customers from confusion. So this makes sense.
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But, should I click on the link and read the article, or just sleep soundly at night knowing that they DID answer? I'm still confused. ;)
 
It's all about PR.

brockm said:
Yes, as to alleviate any confusion the matter may have caused to consumers. This is, after all, a matter of Apple protecting it's customers from confusion. So this makes sense.
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It's all about PR. Welcome to the wonderful world of corporations.
 
brockm said:
Yes, as to alleviate any confusion the matter may have caused to consumers. This is, after all, a matter of Apple protecting it's customers from confusion. So this makes sense.
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If anything though its developers and tech bloggers that are making a big deal of this. Consumers dont care... there are over 50000 apps in the app store! (Ok this may not be the case of Google Voice) but does the average consumer care if iSMSPlus (randomly invented) gets rejected from the app store without a proper reason? or because it copys Apple's native SMS app?
 
rth231 said:
If anything though its developers and tech bloggers that are making a big deal of this. (Ok maybe not in the case of Google Voice) but does the average consumer care if iSMSPlus (randomly invented) gets rejected from the app store without a proper reason? or because it copys Apple's native SMS app?
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Personally, I'd rather be forced to pay ridiculous amounts of money for my SMS messages. That is, rather than be faced with confusing, free, third-party options.
 
brockm said:
I don't know about you. But I'm glad that Apple rejected this application. Otherwise, I may have installed it on my phone. Had this occurred, I would likely have become very confused and not known what to do.

If I had more than one way to place phone calls on my phone, I would enjoy my phone significantly less, and likely fall into a deep depressive episode.

I'm glad to see that Apple is protecting me from this confusion-inducing, alternative calling system. I understand that I could save hundreds of dollars on long distance and be able to do amazing things like centralize all my phone numbers into a single phone number. But the confusion that would arise from having this application on my phone would degrade my experience.

If you'll excuse me, I need to place a phone call using Skype from my iPhone.
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This.
 
Sevenfeet said:
7. AT&T does have interest in Google Voice but not the reason I thought. AT&T mentions that they are curious to find out more about Google Voice to determine if it falls under established telecom regulations that the regulated telecoms adhere to for payment of services that touch each other. Translation: AT&T is looking to get paid by Google for Google Voice operating on their network.
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An additional reason AT&T would benefit from Google voice is it would stop a lot of people from considering canceling their home landline service. Right now, a record number of people cancel their home landline service every month (AT&T has discussed this "problem" in their quarterly reports). If people only have one phone, then they have no need for Google Voice. So, in some ways, it gives customers a reason to keep their landlines ("they sold me something I didn't know I needed"). AT&T will get their $80+ per month from iPhone users whether Google voice is allowed or not. So, summed up, AT&T stands to benefit from GV.

But from an FCC standpoint I have to ask... do we have the capacity to issue tens of millions of Americans another, additional phone number? :confused: Right now, phone numbers have 10 digits, 000-000-0000. GV is going to eat up A LOT of those numbers! If I was Google, I would be more worried about the FCC than AT&T or Apple. ...And who is paying for all of these phone lines? Google?

Btw, your post was very informative. Thank you.
 
LagunaSol said:
"Contrary to published reports, Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application, and continues to study it."

"Continues to study it???" What the heck is Google Voice, an alien lifeform??? :rolleyes:

This PR spin oozes lameness.
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Did you not realize that Google Voice is still in Beta? What about the fact that it uploads your contacts? You bet I'm glad they are studying this given those issues alone.

Additionally, GV is still available by invitation only. (Google Voice is currently available by invite only. Get an Invite). There appears to be a lot that Google needs to do first before their own application is available for primetime let alone as an iPhone app.
 
*LTD* said:
Why?

Why should it take more than only a couple of mintues to review each app? It either meets the criteria or it doesn't. There doesn't need to be any in-depth scrutiny here.
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The answer to your question lies in Apple's statment itself: if Apple's review process is as in-depth and complete as they purport (so as to keep iPhone users safe & happy) then they'd have to be spending more than 12 minutes reviewing a complex app. That's 12 minutes assuming they're working at a consistent pace throughout the day, too, and we all know that's simply not the case in most workplaces.
 
matthewmyates said:
Forgive me if I'm getting this wrong, I don't use GV service...but doesn't GV only take voicemail from the GV number? Doesn't GV only use Google contacts? And doesn't the GV Dialer only use the GV number as the originating phone number? Now if calling out from GV were to hijack AT&Ts cellular service to make the call using the GV number as the originating number is the case...then I see the problem...but if it uses VOIP for outgoing calls thats another thing entirely.

The thing is that it doesn't effect the iPhone dialer for using your cell number nor does it block you from getting voicemails sent to your cellular number...it only takes voicemails from the GV number right?

So in effect either Apple is lying to the FCC or has no idea what the GV app actually does.
Click to expand...
GV Mobile (3rd party app written by Sean Kovacs) allows you to dial out via your GV number. What it does is sends a web-based request to call back your phone with your GV number which then dials your recipient as your GV number. i.e., say your GV number is 888-555-1212, your recipient would see that as your caller ID. However, this does not "hijack" the AT&T network as that process takes place on Google's end. You are still using the AT&T network as a voice network.

There is no effect on your real AT&T number. There is no redirection of your cell phone calls, SMS or voicemail TO your GV number. The only calls, SMS or voicemail a GV app would track is those made to your GV number.

GV Mobile had the convenience of interfacing with your phone contacts, but it never uploaded your phone book to Google.

A parallel to the voice system would be closest to that of a calling card.
mambodancer said:
Did you not realize that Google Voice is still in Beta? What about the fact that it uploads your contacts? You bet I'm glad they are studying this given those issues alone.
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That's where I believe Apple was spreading FUD. GV apps don't upload your contacts to Google. They send the phone number you want to dial to initiate the call. Don't want GV to know a number? Don't dial that number via GV. Stuff like Exchange, MobileMe or Google Sync (via Exhange) are the ones that upload your contacts.
 
mambodancer said:
Did you not realize that Google Voice is still in Beta? What about the fact that it uploads your contacts? You bet I'm glad they are studying this given those issues alone.

Additionally, GV is still available by invitation only. (Google Voice is currently available by invite only. Get an Invite). There appears to be a lot that Google needs to do first before their own application is available for primetime let alone as an iPhone app.
Click to expand...

Nobody said you have to download it nor the millions of people who already have their contacts with Google services already. I'm not saying that I trust Google but if you can right-click under a highlighted word and search it in Google, Apple must trust them enough that they would allow them basic access to the Mac OS.

The idea that Apple still doesn't know what Google Voice does is hilarious.
 
BrianMojo said:
The answer to your question lies in Apple's statment itself: if Apple's review process is as in-depth and complete as they purport (so as to keep iPhone users safe & happy) then they'd have to be spending more than 12 minutes reviewing a complex app. That's 12 minutes assuming they're working at a consistent pace throughout the day, too, and we all know that's simply not the case in most workplaces.
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I completely agree. They must have to install the app on an iPhone (doubt they'd use the simulator), test it sufficiently to determine it's not obviously buggy and, presumably, scan through the code to look for anything malicious etc. Given that some apps will have thousands of lines of code, if they do this, it should take a bit longer than 12mins
 
rth231 said:
but does the average consumer care if iSMSPlus (randomly invented) gets rejected from the app store without a proper reason? or because it copys Apple's native SMS app?
Click to expand...

Dam, that's fuel for Google's attorneys. Apple has approved SMS apps, which duplicate the iPhone's native SMS functionality, but yet they are blocking Google Voice app. Hmmmm.

Google told us they were going to take over the world.
 
str1f3 said:
Nobody said you have to download it nor the millions of people who already have their contacts with Google services already. I'm not saying that I trust Google but if you can right-click under a highlighted word and search it in Google, Apple must trust them enough that they would allow them basic access to the Mac OS.

The idea that Apple still doesn't know what Google Voice does is hilarious.
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Since you're obviously not convinced Google Voice is sufficiently confusing (which it is), let me try a different tact with you: if Apple approves Google Voice for the AppStore, then the terrorists win.
 
brockm said:
Since you're obviously not convinced Google Voice is sufficiently confusing (which it is), let me try a different tact with you: if Apple approves Google Voice for the AppStore, then the terrorists win.
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You guys are seriously cracking me up tonight. :D
 
Apple really isn't thinking this through...

1. GV is still in beta (ok...one point to Apple)

2. GV Stops you from getting voicemail in the voicemail app (lie, it only records voicemail for the GV number NOT the cellular number...one point for Google)

3. GV Replaces the dialer (lie...it doesn't replace it, just makes another available to you...for a completely different number...1 point for Google)

4.GV Text SMS replaces Apples SMS (yet another lie...it doesn't replace it it just makes another available to you for a completely different phone number...one point for Google)

5. GV Steals your contacts and sends them to a GV server (point of contention here...Google could easily remove this functionality to come into compliance even if it is true at the moment...null points)

So it comes down to: 1 point for Apple, and 3 points for Google

Google for teh W1N
 
brockm said:
Since you're obviously not convinced Google Voice is sufficiently confusing (which it is), let me try a different tact with you: if Apple approves Google Voice for the AppStore, then the terrorists win.
Click to expand...

And if that doesn't work, I've got more thought-terminating clichés where that came from. There is no room for cognitive dissonance amongst Apple users.
 
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