Advertise on The Loop

Advertising rates and a variety of new placement spots are now available on The Loop. Visit our advertising page for more information.

Follow Us on Twitter

You can follow The Loop to get the latest important updates. You can also follow Jim Dalrymple’s personal messages.

iPhone

FCC investigates Apple over Google voice app rejection

By Jim DalrympleJuly 31, 2009, 4:25 pm PT

Apple may be in hot water with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over its refusal to allow Google’s Voice app in the iPhone App Store.

voice main video FCC investigates Apple over Google voice app rejectionThe FCC sent letters to Google, Apple and AT&T asking why the app was rejected. The commission also asked how AT&T was consulted in the decision to reject the application, according to a Wall Street Journal article.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement Friday that the FCC “has a mission to foster a competitive wireless marketplace, protect and empower consumers, and promote innovation and investment.” The inquiry letters “reflect the Commission’s proactive approach to getting the facts and data necessary to make the best policy decisions.”

Apple on Tuesday rejected Google’s Voice app. Not only that, Apple then began removing other Google Voice-related apps from the store.

Apps like VoiceCentral had been in the App Store for several months before being removed because it “duplicated features already on the iPhone.”



Email This Post Email This Post Print This Post Print This Post Post a comment

Discussion 5 comments so far

This website uses IntenseDebate comments, but they are not currently loaded because either your browser doesn't support JavaScript, or they didn't load fast enough.

  1. Posted by Zach Weigand July 31, 2009, 5:35 pm

    Sounds like good news to me. Even better news if at&t takes it in the face.

  2. Posted by Jim Dalrymple July 31, 2009, 5:45 pm

    The explanation should be interesting.

  3. Posted by Eric July 31, 2009, 9:08 pm

    I for one am shocked and amazed, and for the first time in memory proud of the FCC. Slap Apple or AT&T down hard! Whichever one is the source of this decision needs to be put in their place.

    Then please go after Time Warner, Cox and the rest of their ilk about bandwidth caps.

    Then come back for the rest of my list. :-D

  4. Posted by Bill L August 7, 2009, 6:00 pm

    I’m just glad I was able to download it from the app store before it was removed. This is an incredibly useful app for all of us fortunate enough to have a Google Voice number.

  5. Posted by Apple denies rejecting Google Voice from the App Store | The Loop August 21, 2009, 9:41 pm

    [...] Google and AT&T on Friday all replied to an FCC letter requesting clarification on why Google Voice was rejected from the App Store. Apple’s answer: We never rejected the [...]

Post a comment