Apple blocks Google Voice app for iPhone

The long-awaited Google Voice application for the iPhone has been officially shot down by Apple.

There were a scattering of reports on Monday, and then a Google spokesperson confirmed it: "Apple did not approve the Google Voice application we submitted six weeks ago to the Apple App Store. We will continue to work to bring our services to iPhone users--for example, by taking advantage of advances in mobile browsers."

In addition, all third-party applications that use Google Voice have been pulled by Apple, according to a report in TechCrunch. The developer of one of those apps, GV Mobile, says he was told the decision came from Apple because his app "duplicates features that come with the iPhone."

It's unclear why Apple is refusing the app to be sold in its store, though there are hints that it may have come at the behest of AT&T, the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the U.S. Google Voice is a free application that lets users assign a single number to ring their home, work, and cell phones, and also get voice mail as text transcriptions. Google Voice has been described by some as an "end run" around wireless carriers because it allows for free texts, but users do still use minutes on their AT&T phone plan.

John Gruber of DaringFireball.net reports that it was in fact AT&T's request that Apple block the application, but points out that Apple too has good reason to reject it: "Google Voice is a mobile phone service provided by the maker of one of the biggest competitors to the iPhone OS (Android). What if Google Voice were instead Microsoft Voice?"

It's also by now well established that the application approval process for Apple's App Store can be confusing and frustrating for individual developers, and now even for giants of the technology industry. Just last week, another dust-up occurred with Google and the iPhone, when Apple refused to approve Google's Latitude for the iPhone unless it was designed as Web-based app.

[cvaldes1831]

I'd said it elsewhere and I'll say it again here.<br /><br />THIS IS UNFAIR TO IPOD TOUCH USERS.<br /><br />There is *zero* duplication of functionality for iPod touch users (yes, there are over 15 million of us -- something that technology journalists routinely forget). There is no confusion, no conflict of interest, nada.<br /><br />We paid full retail for these things, no carrier subsidy whatsoever.

[The_happy_switcher]

So you bought the 'ipod' touch with the expectation that one day it would magically turn into a phone?

[cvaldes1831]

No, silly.<br /><br />Google Voice is not a VoIP application. If you don't understand that, I guess you've never used Google Voice or bothered to learn what it's about. I'm perfectly content carrying around cheapo Motorola dumbphone; I average about $3/mo. of calls (no contract).<br /><br />Besides that, there are other VoIP applications that work for the iPod touch (Truphone, Skype, fring, Nimbuzz, and a couple of SIP clients).

[PanditLes2]

Workaround from your iPod touch:<br />1. In Safari,<br />go to "http://www.google.com/voice/m"<br />2.<br />Bookmark the link on your homepage<br />3.<br />Press that homepage icon whenever you want to use google voice.

[cvaldes1831]

I'm very familiar with the Google Voice mobile website and I will point out several flaws with it.<br /><br />First of all, it's a freakin' website and as such the performance is poor, even if you're on a fast wifi connection. Thinks like switching dialback numbers, listening to voicemail, or calling someone in your history probably take 5-10 times longer using the web version than using GV Mobile.<br /><br />The user interface is rather plain and ugly; you have to zoom in for accurate hyperlink selection. There is no integration with the built-in Address Book.<br /><br />To dial, you just have a normal text entry field, not a standard dialpad. And if you want to call 1-800-MY-APPLE, you to bring up a dialpad, memorize the numeric digits, and type that into the web form.<br /><br />The Google Voice mobile webpage is a poor replacement to the native apps.

[qnet]

If it's not a phone app, why would you need a dialpad?

[markosph]

Jailbreak... the GV Mobile app that was refused is on Cydia... I bought it before I was removed and it still works. No need to load up Safari.

[markosph]

Jailbreak... the GV Mobile app that was refused is on Cydia... I bought it before I was removed and it still works. No need to load up Safari.<br /><br />Q... the dial-pad lets you dial a number you want to call... Google voice calls your home phone... either land line or cell and connects you to the person you want to call, you don't use the ipod as a phone, you use any phone you have setup in Google voice. I have a link on my website, that lets anyone in the US call me for free using that link... using there land line of course.

[cvaldes1831]

@qnet:<br /><br />"If it's not a phone app, why would you need a dialpad?"<br /><br />I guess you're another person who has never used Google Voice nor bothered to learn what it's about.<br /><br />Google Voice provides a single phone number which forwards to all of your phone numbers. If you use the Google Voice website or a Google Voice app to dial, it will call you on your designated phone. Once you pick up, it will start ringing the other party. One advantage: your outgoing caller ID is your Google Voice number. Another advantage: if you pick your callback number to be a landline (e.g., home or work phone) or Gizmo, you don't use any cellphone minutes.<br /><br />For me, this translates into "free nationwide long distance" since I'm receiving an incoming call at no charge.<br /><br />In most cases, I just fire up GV Mobile, find a contact in my address book, select it and the designated callback number starts ringing. I only need to use the dialer when I'm calling someone not in my address book.

You know what GOOGLE! Pull Youtube, GOOGLE search engine, Google Maps, and all Google apps out of iPhone and iTouch to let Apple know how it feels!!!!!! Send back all your MAC Book Pros, and all the Crapple products youre using and just go with DELL...<br /><br /> THIS IS WAR!!!!!!!

[Vegaman_Dan]

I have grown used to having Apple treat Tocuh owners like second class citizens. THey really don't care much about you except your original purchase and then charging for OS updates that the iPhone gets free. <br /> <br />I gave up and bought an iPhone. Apple won.

[lashercorson]

As a lifetime Apple customer, I am shocked and deeply disappointed by this decision. Since the iPhone came out, I have been an evangelist for the phone and most of my friends have it now. Now, I regret being so excited about the iPhone. The hard truth is that Apple is willing to sacrifice loyal customers by banning GREAT applications because?? Oh wait, we have no clue why because THEY WONT SAY.<br /><br />Apple has great products. But if there is one thing that can bring them down it is by turning their loyal base off by cutting off basic functionality.<br /><br />Sign this petition with your Twitter Account to let Apple know how much they screwed up: http://twitition.com/xh8jk<br /><br />Hey Apple: TTYN!

[Get_a_life_Leo]

It was AT&#38;T not Apple. Set up a Twitter account denouncing the phone company......

[timber2005]

If it was AT&#38;T... why has it been blocked worldwide?

[timber2005]

Ooooh, this is why... <br />"Please note that Google Voice is only available for sign up in the US." (re, https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/ )

[qwerty-berty]

I usually find the daring fireball blog accurate: http://daringfireball.net/linked/2009/07/28/att-app-store and in my opinion AT&#38;T have a lot to lose if this app were to be approved so I can well believe this.<br /><br />It seems that lately the cell networks and music industry are getting a free ride because of the (sometimes warranted) backlash against Apple. But let me tell you this: Apples closed-shop mentality is _nothing_ compared the control freakery of these guys. Apple may be slapping you in the face but the cell networks are royally screwing all of us.

[gggg sssss]

I am shocked that you are shocked. Have you had no clues to date that Apple is just a money sucking greedy beast?

[drfrost]

@gggg sssss:<br /><br />There's nothing evil about making money. That's what every corporation is in business to do (generalization... please don't list six sigma deviations). Apple is less offensive than some.... more so than others. If they don't make money, they get fired. If they alienate a few customers.... usually nothing happens. If they alienate some workers.... usually nothing happens.<br /><br />It may not be a perfect system... but it beats the alternatives hands down.<br /><br />If Apple has made you unhappy, don't buy any more products from them.<br /><br />For me Apple is on a slippery slope. I don't like to be locked out of my own equipment, and I don't like where this is going. I think it's bordering on monopolistic that they can completely shut down any competition to their own native apps.<br /><br />MS, on the other hand, slipped down the slope a long long time ago. The latest outrage that comes to mind: threats against linux and the open source community. Maybe they'll push it just a little too far and Obama will re-ignite the federal anti-trust case against them..... if someone can manage to get the instructions on how to do so on his teleprompter.

[McAdams]

@ gggg sssss July 29, 2009 3:24 PM PDT<br />"... Apple is just a money sucking greedy beast?"<br /><br />So, let me get this straight: Apple has forced you to buy their products? If so, you are a wimpy robot. If not, shut your pie hole.

[NewsReader_]

I could only imagine the tsunami wave of outrage that would be generated if Microsoft decided to block a Google application on Windows. Every lawyer in the country would be clearing thier calendars. <br /> <br />Apple does it on the iPhone and people are like, "Oh well" <br /> <br />And you can save your keystrokes with your "monopoly" replies. So what. It is still wrong. To ignore this is hypocrisy.

[Sentax]

True dat!

[Police_States_of_America]

true, of course

[Vegaman_Dan]

It only really is making news because it's Google when Apple and Google previously had a very close relationship with Apple giving Google access to program libraries that no other developer was permitted to use. <br /> <br />Another crack in the Apple/Google relationship is showing. It seemed to start with the announcement of Google's Chrome OS.

[ckh1272]

What part of "it was in fact AT&#38;T's request that Apple block the application", do you people not understand??

[Mark_Anderson]

What part of 'apologist' do you not understand. <br /> <br />Get a grip, son.

[ckh1272]

"by Mark_Anderson July 29, 2009 4:30 AM PDT<br />What part of 'apologist' do you not understand. <br /><br />Get a grip, son."<br /><br />Sir, if you are talking to me, you barking up the wrong tree with such an ignorant statement. It seems like you and some others are ready to light a fire under Apple, meanwhile ignoring the fact that AT&#38;T has hogtied the iPhone since the beginning. True, Apple doesn't help their cause by being so vague about certain things, but how else do you explain NO tethering, NO MMS, even though the phone has been ready for it. Now you throw in a PHONE related issue (AT&#38;T=$$$$), and you want to blame Apple? It's just a little short sighted to always point the finger at one company when there is plenty of blame to pass around. If you were not talking to me, then I apologize.

[ckh1272]

"by Mark_Anderson July 29, 2009 4:30 AM PDT<br />What part of 'apologist' do you not understand. <br /><br />Get a grip, son."<br /><br />BTW, I'm not your son. Who would want to raised by such an ignorant father?? See, I can flip the issue too.

[ckh1272]

Sorry. What I meant to say is "Who would want to be raised by such an ignorant father??". Grammar nazis can rest at ease now.

[gggg sssss]

@ckh1272 of course if apple werent such a slmiiy bunch they woudl make their phone available through all carriers. Apple is just trying to squeeze as much our of their customers as they possibly can. Enjoy the ride fans.

[YankeePoodle]

Some one in DoJ really should start kicking apple in its a**, its just time.. they have just promoted themselves from weird to insane.

[ikramerica--2008]

It's ATT, and they ARE looking at ATT and Sprint and others for these kind of restrictions, text messaging fees, etc.

[CreativeMalcolm]

This doesn't make a lick of sense! I'm a dyed in the wool Mac user and even I won't justify this, this is just apple being weird

[El_Segfaulto]

And people are surprised why? This is typical Apple behavior, they cherry-pick what will be allowed on their hardware and surprise surprise, rival software is not.

[Get_a_life_Leo]

It's AT&#38;T, not Apple. AT&#38;T also blocked other apps (like tethering last year). You can blame Apple for capitulating to AT&#38;T but from the number of voice apps that were on the AppStore before being pulled, its clear that it isn't Apple who has the problem - it's its stupid telecom partner. The quicker the exclusivity is ended the better. At least in Canada we have MMS and tethering on the iPhone - right now.

[El_Segfaulto]

AT&#38;T needs Apple a lot more than Apple needs AT&#38;T. It seems that fanboys will give Apple all of the kudos for the excellent work that they do, but reserve all of the blame for the sketchy activities for AT&#38;T. Apple could easily leverage AT&#38;T into accepting this mafia style..."Ya know, you may want to let this one slide. ya wouldn't want anything to happen to our exclusive contract, capiché?" What it comes down to is Apple gets to block an app threatening their software and they get a pass since the sheep will end up blaming AT&#38;T.

[Get_a_life_Leo]

True. It is time Apple got rid of its authoritarian stance on application availability. Makes sense for security, etc., but Google is not evil - they keep telling us that.....

[ckh1272]

@El_Segfaulto---As I stated above (with a quote from the article), "it was in fact AT&#38;T's request that Apple block the application". AT&#38;T bites!!

[drfrost]

"It was AT&#38;T's request" sort of smacks of "the devil made me do it."<br /><br />In the end, it was Apple's decision.

[ipv9]

After almost a year, I have resisted the temptation. It's jailbreaking time!

[Sentax]

You've resisted clicking 3 "Next" buttons and a sequence of button pressing on your iPhone? It's basically fool proof now, jailbreak already...

[markosph]

I did it a couple days ago... Apple is turning into the vision there 1984 commercials shows... Apple is not the lady with the sledgehammer but the police chasing her. Still like my ipod... just feels more free being jailbroken.

[terminalblue]

my g1/gv combo works flawlessly. you iTools dont know what you are missing.

[ckh1272]

Wow!! A Google app works flawlessly with a Google phone?? It better work flawlessly.

Until T-Mobile decides to do the same thing by blocking VOIP(or whatever google voice uses) traffic.

[90802984028]

GV Mobile app is still working on my i-touch at 5:40pm EDT. Maybe they aren't disabling for itouch. Surely ATT cant tell them how to treat their iTouch users. Also, I have to agree NewsReader, Apple is controling the OS and what can be run on it. This is very similar to DOJ complaints against MS in the 90's. <br /><br />APPLE 2009 = MICROSOFT 1995

[cvaldes1831]

Apple denied the release of a Google-submitted app and pulled third-party apps from the store. People who downloaded the third-party apps still have them. There is no change in existing functionality.

[Sentax]

Yah, right... Microsoft 1995 actually allowed ANY app to run on their new operating system instead of letting AOL decide it for them.

[90802984028]

GV Mobile app is still working on my i-touch at 5:40pm EDT. Maybe they aren't disabling for itouch. Surely ATT cant tell them how to treat their iTouch users. Also, I have to agree NewsReader, Apple is controling the OS and what can be run on it. This is very similar to DOJ complaints against MS in the 90's. <br /><br />APPLE 2009 = MICROSOFT 1995

[redmarine]

Good one. At least Microsoft doesn't control what can be on their OS like a communists.(Except for Viruses)<br /><br />Anyway, I've never liked Google at all so I'm somewhat rejoiced about this... O.o

[funkyboot]

I love my iPhone, but at what point does someone in a position to do something about it call Apple out on the fact they're engaged in highly anti-competitive behavior?

[erikbock]

AMEN!!! I a really sick of AT&#38;T and I have been a customer in one way or another for 15 years.<br /><br />It is the SMS functionality that AT&#38;T doesn't want to lose. SMS is a cash cow for them. I am not worried about that, just want the rest of the stuff.

[landnsea]

This is so infuriating. I am an iPhone and Google Voice user, and I want to be able to use them together. This kind of infuriatingly anti-customer, anti-competitive decision will drive people like me away from Apple and into the hands of more open platforms, like Google's Android. As someone who really likes Apple products, I am greatly frustrated and annoyed by Apple's decision, whether or not in collusion with AT&#38;T.

[pcfish]

Simple. It's because Steve Jobs is back and he hates us.

[gggg sssss]

The dead pool is still on though LOL

[gebonl]

If you can't stand being controlled by Apple, get an Android phone, enjoy only several thousands apps, which includes Google Voice that let's you place international calls transparently for a few cents/minutes (like Europe for $0.02/min). Works great.<br /><br />-g

[anilsudh]

You can do the same with a calling card. Besides Google Voice call quality is terrible

[Chapmaniac]

Google will eventually become a telephone company (or maintain a telco division). Only then will the rest of the market have to start playing fair.

[GregoryChandler]

This is exactly the sort of action from Apple that will give people a reason to buy rival phones like Android, etc.

[cvaldes1831]

Again, this action unfairly punishes iPod touch users.<br /><br />I don't want someone else's smartphone. I'm happy with my cheapo Motorola dumbphone. However, let me access my Google Voice account with a native app, not the mobile website. That's why I paid my hard-earned dollars for the GV Mobile app.

[shellcodes_coder]

What else can you expect from CrApple? They can't innovate and can't stand others innovating either!!

[Perry_Clease]

Troll

[ckh1272]

I see the Microsoft paychecks keep rolling in for shellcodes_coder!!

[gggg sssss]

@ ckh1272 where do I apply?

[ckh1272]

"by gggg sssss July 29, 2009 3:31 PM PDT<br />@ ckh1272 where do I apply?"<br /><br />I would ask Mr. Dee. He is the one with a well documented "association" with Microsoft, i.e. got some cash and a free Acer Ferrari laptop. Look it up. I'm sure he'll be happy to help. LOL!!

[rahmifa]

This is somehow going to affect Apple in terms of Iphone sales, hurting both AT&#38;T and Apple alike. <br /> <br />And for what ? As if *any* carrier could stop IM, Internet-based texting à la Twitter or even VOIP ? At best they can slow things down to keep the revenue up for a little longer, a tactic that works for a while only... It's a sad day.

[Dotjinks]

Sad day for Apple. This decision to deny the Google voice application should have been passed to Steve and considered deeply. It feels like a cultural about face. I feel slightly betrayed and will probably research upcoming HTC phones to see what my alternative to this Apple &#38; ATT catastrophe will be. Apple owns the mobile space and the future of small mobile devices at the moment. Though many of us tried to be optimistic it is painfully obvious that ATT will only help Apple loose their lead from this decision forward. I just can't even express after 24 years in IT and communications how bad a choice this was for Apple today. Oh well, guess there will be an iphone on the shelf next to my first Newton one day real soon.

[ikramerica--2008]

Well DUH!<br /><br />These are cell phones, where the phone companies charge you by the minute. Why on earth would these companies make it easy to avoid paying them? Apple has to do the same thing with AIM for iPhone. It only works on WiFi, but when you try to use it on the 3G network, we are told that ATT won't allow it, as it would bypass the need for text messages and paying ATT.<br /><br />Eventually you will no longer buy minutes or texts, just have a contract for data, but until all phones are smart phones, this won't happen.<br /><br />Suck it up and deal. Google Voice and SkypeIn are ways to get around paying for minutes, and they will force the market to adjust over time, but not right away.

[El_Segfaulto]

Funny, T-Mobile doesn't seem to mind that I have Google Voice on my G1.

Same, T-Mobile doesn't seem to mind that I have google voice. Thats because you are dealing with APPLE people. Suck it up and deal that Apple has a closed mentality!!! That's why they will loose the mobile fight like they lost the PC war in the 80's... Nothing has changed with Apple, they are still closed minded company!

Also, isn't funny that Apple does the thinking for you? Why can't they let the people decide on what they want to use? I don't get it!!!!!!!