Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

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

i cant help but wonder if apple told you what apps you were allowed to install on your macbook or imac would you feel the same as you do about this?

what if your isp along with apple told you what apps you were allowed to use and how on your personal computer would you accept that?

its time to break carrier exclusivity and data is data let me do what i want with it and install what i want on my device and deal with the consequences
 
Apple's reply, denuded of its p.r. polish: Nyaah, nyaaah, it's our app store and we'll do what we want with it.

Maybe a little regulatory bitchslapping can set this arrogant corporation straight.

Too bad Washington is run by corporate whores!
 
Apple, Inc. Iphone is a product that is all inclusive "Hardware uhm and Software"

Apple, Inc. has the right to do what they damn well please. It's their product. There are other products in this market that are just not as good. Live with it or build one that is and make it as popular. STOP FREAKING CRYING already. Yeah I want everything to be free too but then how would that help the economy, any economy good or bad. There is plenty of market share and the FCC is kidding themselves if they think they have a case against Apple, Inc. Google, Inc. Nokia, yada yada, Inc. THE nightmare of wankers who are just sad they can't have free phone service. Your paying for the router which equals (Service), if you don't like the router, uhm Service, then move along.

Send from my iPhone 3G that has a cracked screen and I love it. AT&T Service has been wonderful, yeah there are hiccups but lets see its a Network of IT structures that needs servicing and things are taken offline and brought online to improve the performance and reliability of the network we have grown to depend on. I for one so far think its fair for the purpose I use it.

Keep R&D alive and kicking baby!!
 
i.mac said:
read this...

'Specifically, the Google Voice iPhone app would replace the iPhone's "Phone" icon on the bottom of the home screen, which prevents voicemails from being stored on the iPhone and disables Apple's Visual Voicemail, the company said. The SMS function of the Google Voice app does the same thing.'

from pc-mag article 'Apple Denies Rejection of Google Voice iPhone App':

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2351895,00.asp

If the above is true... then the google app would be quite intrusive, effectively making the iphone a google-phone, usurping the apple signature. I for one agree with what apple is doing: protecting their hard work.

Also, for those who argue that they want 'choice', in fact, you do have choice: there are google phones with google voice in them.
Click to expand...

Wow, whoever wrote that article is an idiot and clearly hasn't got a clue how apps work on an iPhone.

Google's app would not replace Apple's phone icon - it couldn't possibly without hacking the phone, and that can only be done by jailbreaking the device.

Any app you download from the App Store runs in a sandbox on the phone, it can't touch any other parts of the phone and that sandbox is closed the instant the home button is pressed - no app can exist beyond its sandbox.

The only part that is correct is where it says Apple's Visual Voicemail would be disabled. It isn't actually disabled as Apple put it, anyone ringing your cell number could still reach the voicemail, it's just that if people rang your GV number, your GV voicemail could cut in before the iPhone voicemail did - if you chose to have it that way.

Nothing in the iPhone is physically replaced or disabled. Apple chose to use those words to make the application sound worse than it is, using FUD, pc mag (and some other people on these forums) are a little stupid for taking Apple's words so literally
 
CQd44 said:
I use google voice's SMS capabilities religiously. I'm so glad the android apps are more than adequate!

In other news, I can finally say I can't complain about the speed of the g1 any longer - I found an app that can overclock the processor on it. Whew!
Click to expand...

That's nice to hear and all but Google is not exempt from the nonsense that is going around. Skype is even more crippled on Android than it is on the iPhone and from what I hear the G1 won't be compatible with the next update that will be coming out for Android. I'd also watch out about overclocking the processors on your phone. I'm certain battery life will be affected as well as heat issues in such a small device and longevity. This is not even including the redacted statements of the letter that was made public to the FCC.

Google is a part of the BS that is going on with Apple & AT&T and there are some issues they also have to address concerning anti-competitiveness.
 
Digipimp said:
i cant help but wonder if apple told you what apps you were allowed to install on your macbook or imac would you feel the same as you do about this?

what if your isp along with apple told you what apps you were allowed to use and how on your personal computer would you accept that?

its time to break carrier exclusivity and data is data let me do what i want with it and install what i want on my device and deal with the consequences
Click to expand...

You can't equate an iPhone to a MacBook - they are not the same. Yes they are both computers in some way but Apple treats them completely differently.

Apple doesn't publicise the specs of the iPhone like it's a computer. They don't tell you the speed of the processor or how much RAM it has. There isn't an option to 'Configure To Order' an iPhone how you want it.

Apple would never tell people what apps they can't have on their computers - it is a completely different ecosystem.

On your ISP comment - some do limit what you can do with your computer. Quite a few ISP's still have data usage limits and traffic management. You can only download a certain amount per month or watch a certain amount of streamed content before you hit your allowance.

If people were screaming out to be able to do what they want with their device, why isn't jailbreaking more common-place? How many of the 30+ million iPhones/iPod Touches are actually jailbroken do you think? Part of the reason for the App Store's success is because it is one point of call to get an app for the phone. A lot of apps for jailbroken phones, the sort you can download from a website (not from iTunes) are buggy because there is no quality control. Not to mention no one is checking to make sure these apps don't contain malware.

At the end of the day, if you want a phone you can 'do whatever you want with' get a phone that runs android, then hack it to your hearts desire and complain when it starts to get crashy and buggy and the battery life disappears as all your badly written apps 'degrade the user experience' as Apple will put it.

I'll stick with my iPhone thanks.
 
MorphingDragon said:
Do half the people complaining realize that most of the services are already FREE on CellPhone carriers. That its still Beta and Restricted still. Maybe thats why Apple have rejected it. Because it hasn't even been finalized, or their intentions haven't been established. Google being Google.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but that is garbage. Gmail was in beta for years and didn't lift it until a month ago. When the beta was lifted there were no differences to indicate that it was somehow more stable. When Google releases something in beta it means it's ready for primetime.

If Apple is so concerned with the idea of a beta, then they should never have allowed for such easy configuration of Gmail on the iPhone or on Mail.app.

The app has been finalized and everyone including Apple knows what it can do no matter how much they try to plea ignorance.
 
str1f3 said:
That's nice to hear and all but Google is not exempt from the nonsense that is going around. Skype is even more crippled on Android than it is on the iPhone and from what I hear the G1 won't be compatible with the next update that will be coming out for Android. I'd also watch out about overclocking the processors on your phone. I'm certain battery life will be affected as well as heat issues in such a small device and longevity. This is not even including the redacted statements of the letter that was made public to the FCC.

Google is a part of the BS that is going on with Apple & AT&T and there are some issues they also have to address concerning anti-competitiveness.
Click to expand...

It's not so much overclocking as it is raising the maximum speed the processor is allowed to operate at. It's not running at the higher speed all the time ;] I am thankful for the concern though.
 
*LTD* said:
It sounds like the Google Voice app was replacing the Apple Interface all together and sending the user's personal information to a Google Server. The User was not given a choice in what Google Voice was doing. ??...
Click to expand...
Let's ask Google what this: "sending the user's personal information to a Google Server" really means. Done!

Now about user choice: ad-blocking and pop-ups in Safari!!!
 
str1f3 said:
That's nice to hear and all but Google is not exempt from the nonsense that is going around. Skype is even more crippled on Android than it is on the iPhone and from what I hear the G1 won't be compatible with the next update that will be coming out for Android. I'd also watch out about overclocking the processors on your phone. I'm certain battery life will be affected as well as heat issues in such a small device and longevity. This is not even including the redacted statements of the letter that was made public to the FCC.

Google is a part of the BS that is going on with Apple & AT&T and there are some issues they also have to address concerning anti-competitiveness.
Click to expand...

1. skype is only "crippled" on android because skype has not updated their app.

2. http://phandroid.com/2009/08/20/g1-might-get-donut-afterall/ there is still hope for the g1
 
Next OS said:
Apple, Inc. has the right to do what they damn well please. It's their product. There are other products in this market that are just not as good. Live with it or build one that is and make it as popular. STOP FREAKING CRYING already. Yeah I want everything to be free too but then how would that help the economy, any economy good or bad. There is plenty of market share and the FCC is kidding themselves if they think they have a case against Apple, Inc. Google, Inc. Nokia, yada yada, Inc. THE nightmare of wankers who are just sad they can't have free phone service. Your paying for the router which equals (Service), if you don't like the router, uhm Service, then move along.

Send from my iPhone 3G that has a cracked screen and I love it. AT&T Service has been wonderful, yeah there are hiccups but lets see its a Network of IT structures that needs servicing and things are taken offline and brought online to improve the performance and reliability of the network we have grown to depend on. I for one so far think its fair for the purpose I use it.

Keep R&D alive and kicking baby!!
Click to expand...

Fanboy enough there? So you're okay with Microsoft selling its OS w/ Explorer built-in. What about if they decided against allowing Firefox and/or Safari ? Hmm. :rolleyes:

Edit: Actually, I take that back. You're probably a STOCKHOLDER in *both* companies! lol You gave yourself away when you said AT&T's been good to you. ;-) Well... maybe fanboy, too.
 
jayhawk11 said:
Holy hell....only 40 full time reviewers? No wonder things take eons to get approved or denied.

I see Apple coming out of this with a major black eye from the FCC. I've been pretty impressed with the "new" FCC so far...hopefully they keep the pressure on companies to not bend the rules as they see fit.
Click to expand...

I was surprised by that as well. 40 reviewers for 65 000 apps? There must be some serious overtime going on in those offices!
 
raggedjimmi said:
They didn't need to explain it.

Apple sell a subsidised phone.
A software developer comes along with an app that replaces the phone function.
Apple reject the software.

Or is it more than that? I haven't been paying too close attention to this one.
Click to expand...

Anyone?
I've read through the first 5 pages here but I still don't know why people are annoyed by all this. If you guys wanted Google Voice why not get a Google Voice supported phone in the first place?
Or am I just not getting this?
 
sorry but you response to my argument really doesnt hold up. its just the evolution of technology. apple went backwards with the iphone by subsidizing and renewing the exclusivity of the device. i love my iphone and im hoping that they only did it to establish the platform so that they can free it from being subsidized and tied to a single carrier and push tech forward.

data is data, if you want to cap my data and sell me plans that are unlimited, or capped at 5gig or 10gig or whatever then let me choose what i do with my device and suffer my own consequences and let me do what i choose with the amount of data i have purchased and how i want to use it.

i hope we can end up back where we started, buying the iphone from apple non subsidized without contract and using it on multiple carriers of our choice and using the apps we want that use the data we pay for however we want.

dont sell me unlimited data and tell me what i can or cant use it for. dont sell me text at an additional price as well when its just data, and voice minutes are just data as well.


MacMan86 said:
You can't equate an iPhone to a MacBook - they are not the same. Yes they are both computers in some way but Apple treats them completely differently.

Apple doesn't publicise the specs of the iPhone like it's a computer. They don't tell you the speed of the processor or how much RAM it has. There isn't an option to 'Configure To Order' an iPhone how you want it.

Apple would never tell people what apps they can't have on their computers - it is a completely different ecosystem.

On your ISP comment - some do limit what you can do with your computer. Quite a few ISP's still have data usage limits and traffic management. You can only download a certain amount per month or watch a certain amount of streamed content before you hit your allowance.

If people were screaming out to be able to do what they want with their device, why isn't jailbreaking more common-place? How many of the 30+ million iPhones/iPod Touches are actually jailbroken do you think? Part of the reason for the App Store's success is because it is one point of call to get an app for the phone. A lot of apps for jailbroken phones, the sort you can download from a website (not from iTunes) are buggy because there is no quality control. Not to mention no one is checking to make sure these apps don't contain malware.

At the end of the day, if you want a phone you can 'do whatever you want with' get a phone that runs android, then hack it to your hearts desire and complain when it starts to get crashy and buggy and the battery life disappears as all your badly written apps 'degrade the user experience' as Apple will put it.

I'll stick with my iPhone thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Detlev said:
Your statement either means you have insider knowledge of the situation, which I am willing to bet you do not, or you are jumping to conclusions based on assumptions, rumors, and/or nothing other than being self serving. So stop where you are. It really doesn't matter. A good bet is that you will once again shop for Apple products, my stocks will rise in value, and the sun will rise in the east.
Click to expand...

No insider info is needed...just look at the GV app on other phones and use common sense! It doesn't change the UI or disable features of the phone like Apple said it does...so they lied, plain and simple!
 
raggedjimmi said:
Anyone?
I've read through the first 5 pages here but I still don't know why people are annoyed by all this. If you guys wanted Google Voice why not get a Google Voice supported phone in the first place?
Or am I just not getting this?
Click to expand...
Yes... you are not getting "it". That is not how it works. I mean if you want Microsoft Exchange Support, then people should use a Windows Computer (following the same flawed logic)? Ah, that must be why there is "out-of-the-box support for Microsoft Exchange" in Snow Leopard.
 
So basically it was Apple's decision and Apple's alone to prevent the use of GV on the iPhone.

Kind of makes all the previous ducking and diving embarrassing and it kind of makes me dislike what they've become even more.
 
Wow just wow.... the App alters the iphone experience? How?

I guess that goes to show you that apple can feed people **** and people would still think it is great ****.
 
Master Chief said:
Yes... you are not getting "it". That is not how it works. I mean if you want Microsoft Exchange Support, then people should use a Windows Computer (following the same flawed logic)? Ah, that must be why there is "out-of-the-box support for Microsoft Exchange" in Snow Leopard.
Click to expand...

i think a better example would be if you want microsoft exchange on your cell phone you should use a windows mobile phone.
 
Master Chief said:
Yes... you are not getting "it". That is not how it works. I mean if you want Microsoft Exchange Support, then people should use a Windows Computer (following the same flawed logic)? Ah, that must be why there is "out-of-the-box support for Microsoft Exchange" in Snow Leopard.
Click to expand...

But that isn't a good analogy.
From the sound of it (and correct me if I'm wrong) Google Voice completely replaces the iPhones phone functionality. Since data is unlimited on any plan you're on then AT&T and Apple lose money. AT&T in the form of people switching to cheaper plans, Apple in the form of the R&D that went into the phone functionality.

MES was always going to come to OSX since it made an appearance on the iPhone and is a communications standard that virtually everything uses. Google Voice was clearly never going to be on the iPhone. So like I said if you wanted GV you should have bought a GV supported device, like one of Googles?

This is not an open computer, it's a locked device swimming in an ocean of T&C and contracts. Apple are protecting their agreement with AT&T. Is this not common sense?
 
Digipimp said:
sorry but you response to my argument really doesnt hold up. its just the evolution of technology. apple went backwards with the iphone by subsidizing and renewing the exclusivity of the device. i love my iphone and im hoping that they only did it to establish the platform so that they can free it from being subsidized and tied to a single carrier and push tech forward.

i hope we can end up back where we started, buying the iphone from apple non subsidized without contract and using it on multiple carriers of our choice and using the apps we want that use the data we pay for however we want.

dont sell me unlimited data and tell me what i can or cant use it for. dont sell me text at an additional price as well when its just data, and voice minutes are just data as well.
Click to expand...

Well here in the UK at least, subsidised iPhones are much cheaper than the original iPhone. Our contracts are better value I suppose. Speaking for myself, I'd prefer an iPhone for £99 rather than £400/£500.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back