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FCC demands details from Apple about Google Voice rejection
The FCC sent inquiry letters to Apple, AT&T and Google as part of an investigation into the rejection of Google Voice from Apple's App Store. The rejection was one of the now-typical "duplicates the functionality of one of Apple's apps" affairs, and the FCC is pressing for details on how Apple's seemingly inconsistent approval process actually works. Was Apple moving at the behest of AT&T to get rid of an app that might cut into the phone company's profits? Our sister site, TUAW, has the details on the questions each player was asked. For Apple: What are the actual rules for app approval? Why was Google Voice rejected? Have any VoIP apps been accepted to the store? (TUAW points out that this question seems misplaced, because Voice is not a VoIP application.) Was AT&T consulted on the decision to reject Google Voice?
For Google: Have other Google apps been accepted to Apple's store? What's the approval process for Google's own Android app store? Are there other ways Google Voice might work on the iPhone without the app?
For AT&T: Did AT&T have anything to do with the rejection of Google Voice? Are any VoIP applications running on AT&T's network? What role does AT&T have in approving 3G-enable applications?
The companies have until August 21 to respond to these questions, and the answers should be quite revealing. It's funny that it might take an FCC inquiry to get to the bottom of Apple's mysterious, fickle-seemingly app store policies. iPhone developers will be watching closely.
Comments
5
Subscribe to commentsJash SayaniAug 3rd 2009 10:07AM
Because Google has not included Moron Test functionality!
mike k.Aug 3rd 2009 1:48PM
yay for the FCC
paul..benkisAug 3rd 2009 11:52PM
Doesn't "duplicates the functionality of one of Apple's apps" stink of Monopoly?
Martin KAug 5th 2009 5:52PM
The FCC needs to stay out of this. Apple should be able to reject whatever apps they want. That'll just drive more people to their competitors.
JamesAug 9th 2009 12:04PM
@Martin: I dunno about that -- I'd guess that 90+% of iPhone owners will never hear of apps that *don't* make it to the store. I'm not sure it's the FCC's place, but I'm also not sure that "not approving enough apps" is going to be Apple's downfall. They have a loyal customer base in spite of, if not because of, their walled garden policies.