The intrusion of huge powerful corporations in America with board members and executives with political ties now is getting a bit scary. But then again, I don't think it is a secret that the current administration has a very socialistic agenda!
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FCC Investigating Apple's Rejection of Google Voice iPhone Application
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The intrusion of huge powerful corporations in America with board members and executives with political ties now is getting a bit scary. But then again, I don't think it is a secret that the current administration has a very socialistic agenda!
But it's not a free Market. There is demand. There are people willing able and ready to supply, but apple at disrupting that. That is the opposite of a free Market.
Yes you can get another phone, that still doesn't make it a free Market. Imagine if the governmet banned all fords from city centres. The ford is still available, but crippled, but because you can buy a Toyota instead doesn't make it a free Market.
This would certainly be easier to argue if you didn't have to consider this:
People are LOCKED into contracts with one exclusive carrier when they buy an iphone. The burden to the consumer is far greater than the burden to Apple to allow the app onto the store.
Were there more than one Carrier with an iphone and thus different standards for those carriers iphones etc. etc. etc. Then this conversation would play out a bit differently.
Besides that its the sheer number of iPhones being sold and the market share the iPhone has in the Smartphone market. There is no other suitable competitor with nearly the same app diversity or sustainable mobile app ecosystem... save for maybe RIM, Nokia or Microsoft, but even then they pale in comparison when you look at application sales rates and sheer uptake on new devices.
The fact that the iPhone has become so popular requires that Apple change their approach to account for their market domination. Otherwise they risk being perceived as anticompetitive and will be getting themselves in the same hot water as Microsoft has in the past.
AF
How is Google Voice different from T-Mobile wanting to use AT&T's network to send you calls? If you want Google Voice, then google can pay AT&T to piggyback off of their network or setup their own cellular service. I don't see a problem with AT&T not wanting google voice on the iPhone without compensation.......
From what I understand, using Google Voice on AT&T still uses your miniutes. It's just a single # that rings all of your phones. Even if you want to make a call 'from' your Google Voice Number (using gvMobile or doing it manually), it has to use your phone service, it is not a VOIP situation.
AT&T isnt really loosing anything by allowing Google Voice . . . other than control.
1984 anyone?
Now I finally understand why apple decided to stop showing the 1984 commercial after only one run... they realized that one day, they too can be big brother. Watching/controlling from behind the scenes.
commercial here.
Now I finally understand why apple decided to stop showing the 1984 commercial after only one run... they realized that one day, they too can be big brother. Watching/controlling from behind the scenes.
commercial here.
Don't like the restrictions Apple has? DON'T BUY THE iPHONE! For god sakes, did anyone buy the phone expecting to use google voice? Why base the value of a phone or company based on a feature that hasn't ever been there to begin with?
Nobody makes developers code, nobody makes consumers buy. You decide what you want to do, nobody decides for you.
Nobody makes developers code, nobody makes consumers buy. You decide what you want to do, nobody decides for you.
First of all... You really need to understand how Google Voice works, it IS NOT a Voice Over IP system. All phone calls made via Google Voice's dialer still use your regular Air-Time minutes.
The only things that you can bypass are in some cases Long Distance calls are cheaper (but you still use your minutes). And also free Text Messaging.
I believe the Free Text Messaging and also the Long Distance and the Visual Voice Mail are the elements that AT&T and Apple Care about... But really more so because its all coming from Google.
Trust me if this was just comming from some small developer they wouldn't even care... For example, why did they initially allow GV Mobile from Sean Kovacs on the App Store then only after Google's app is submitted and rejected did they remove Sean Kovacs app?
Apple cannot do this to developers as they invest time and energy and money into R&D to make their apps and if its approved it should remain approved...
Think of it this way:
You spend months developing an application that is essentially revolutionary for the iPhone, you release that app and make some money from it, Then Apple sees its success, copies your idea then kicks your app off the store...
That is completely unfair... it would also be like Best Buy telling all manufacturers but Insignia that they have to pay a tariff on each product they want to sell at the store, or that they are not allowed to sell anything that Insignia makes... It's anti-compeitive plain and simple.
AF
It's all a big scam anyway. It's all digital data no matter what. The whole concept of "minutes" and "texts", etc. is a 20th century legacy. There should simply be a price to use the network. Period. You pay to connect to the network just like you do at home. You should be able to use any devices you like - just like at home. I pay for a connection and I use it for a computer, a VOIP service, games on the XBOX, etc. But I still pay the ISP a fixed fee. That is really what needs to happen with the cell carriers. Data is data. It shouldn't matter what you are using it for.
Which is all nonsense because Google Voice has a native application that already runs on AT&T-based Blackberry devices. So this is flawed logic.
--DotComCTO
From what I understand, using Google Voice on AT&T still uses your miniutes. It's just a single # that rings all of your phones. Even if you want to make a call 'from' your Google Voice Number (using gvMobile or doing it manually), it has to use your phone service, it is not a VOIP situation.
AT&T isnt really loosing anything by allowing Google Voice . . . other than control.
Ah ok, now I am for this investigation.
i have one question: Why?
how is it the FCC's place? maybe im not understanding it correctly..
Because the FCC has jurisdiction over all telecommunications in the US...and there's already an inquiry going on about devices being made exclusive to one carrier. This is just adding fuel to the fire.
--DotComCTO
The problem is if you are the company that makes a product that, through the markets wanting it badly enough, on it's own accord becomes a monopoly.
Once that happens, all the whiners start contacting the government officials, and the officials start using their ability to manipulate (tear down) a company that got to that position.
Sad really.
BECAUSE in my CONTRACT with AT&T: No-where did it state the selection process for applications submitted to the app store. Thus I should be allowed out of my contract and be able to be issued a refund for my phone should I find that an application that is necessary for my business and available on a competing carrier's network and device.
In fact I would argue that should we take this stand, then everyone who has an iphone should be allowed to exit their contract due to this very issue.
How-ever the facts are that AT&T may not allow you to end your contract prematurely, thus incurring penalties and thus persisting in anti-competitive behaviors.
AF
This going to get messy for Apple and AT&T very quickly. It's one thing to be involved in a lawsuit. At least in those cases there's a judge to determine the parameters of the suit. It's a whole other level when the government wants to get in your business. In that case, there is no judge. You have to do whatever the government says...and the FCC *is* in a position to set regulations for all US telecom.
Ouch.
--DotComCTO
Ouch.
--DotComCTO
Nowhere in your contract does it state that you are entitled to applications. What if Apple closed the app store, are you entitled to a refund? Show me where the app store is guaranteed in your contract? You purchased a phone for its set features, applications are extras that have nothing to do with your contract. You are not entitled to ANY applications besides the stock phone apps. If your business is dependent on an application that was NEVER a part of the phone when you signed the contract, you have no smarts at all.
Every point you have made is comical at best.
If AT&T decides to dictate what you can and can't do with your data service, I think they should be forced to disclose this when they advertise it: For example:
"The iPhone data plan is only for browsing web pages and checking email"
Why in the world would you pay $35/mo for something you don't actually use? I refuse to purchase a data plan, especially from AT&T, because of these sorts of crazy draconian restrictions, and I inform all of my friends about it as well.
"The iPhone data plan is only for browsing web pages and checking email"
Why in the world would you pay $35/mo for something you don't actually use? I refuse to purchase a data plan, especially from AT&T, because of these sorts of crazy draconian restrictions, and I inform all of my friends about it as well.
Google Voice was never part of anyones phone so they are not taking a feature away from you. Also you are not paying for access to whatever apps you want, thats not part of your contract. You honestly expect AT&T and Apple to disclose every possible exception to the app store? Then what... they change it when an unforeseen situation comes up with an app and give everyone a chance to cancel the contract? Think before you comment.
That is an interesting read. I liked this part especially:
Richard: I can only say that yours duplicates features of the iPhone and was causing confusion in the user community. Its against our policy.
I wonder how they gauge "confusion in the community". I wonder how they gather and analyze such data.
Anyways, this whole situation is becoming very weird. How can the CEO of Google be on Apple's board, but Apple doesn't allow Google's service on one of their products? I think this investigation is mostly geared towards AT&T and their attempt to monopolize a rather large avenue of communication. This exclusivity deal needs to end - basically AT&T is dictating every move Apple decides, all to make an extra buck. It's no longer about making the best innovative product. Disgusting.
