Apple approves Vonage mobile VoIP app
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
Vonage announced Tuesday that its mobile voice over Internet Protocol app has been approved for use by Apple on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
The Internet telephone service provider said it's conducting a beta test of the app and that general availability will be announced at a later date.
Last week Apple confirmed that Vonage's request for app approval was being held up by technical issues with the Vonage software. An Apple spokesperson told CNET News at the time that Apple was working with the developer to resolve the issue but would not elaborate on the nature of the issue.
That delay came to light on the heels of federal regulators opening a probe on Apple's decision to keep the Google Voice application from the App Store. AT&T--Apple's iPhone partner--has denied playing a role in that decision.
Google Voice, which allows users to receive calls placed to a single telephone number in multiple places and make cheap international calls, was deemed unfit for App Store inclusion in July, after it was released for BlackBerry and Android smartphones.
Apple, however, has said the Google Voice app was never actually rejected.
Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. Before joining CNET News in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers. E-mail Steven. 
Well, Apple, what about VoiceCentral and GV Mobile, both of which were approved then yanked? Hmmm? What about RingCentral Mobile? That was approved and is still available for download?
More lies from Apple.
The fact that Apple *YANKED* GV Mobile with no explanation is inexcusable, both to the developer as well as consumers like me. Developers are becoming wary of writing code for the App Store: who knows if your *APPROVED* app will get yanked? And why should consumers like me want to spend my money at the App Store?
I have a bunch of lame duck/dead apps now, some free, some paid. I am getting tired of this B.S. Apple should make their policy very, Very, VERY clear about what is permitted and what isn't.
Right now, Apple is doing a p!$$ poor job at explaining things.
If I understand correctly, store credits are more common over thirty days after the app was sold.
Because if it's supposed to be a news article, accuracy is important. If it's just a blog rant, it goes into the "just ignore this writer" column.
So let me know.
Vonage on the other hand is a VOIP that requires a subscriber pay system. So its not a free service. I use Vonage myself and look forward to turning my iPod touch into a iPhone. What will be interesting is if Google i given another look after the FCC thing or if Apple will manage to find another excuse to deny.
And there are boatloads of VoIP apps already on the iPhone: Skype, fring, Nimbuzz, 12Connect, ippi, TruPhone, iSip, WeePhone, et cetera ad nauseam.
Apple's "explanations" are B.S. Stop insulting us with your ******** excuses.
It's apparent from reading the conclusions that many jump to in the articles themselves and in the responses, that a lot of people don't really know what the Google Voice service is to begin with, else why is half an article about a VOIP app getting sidetracked halfway through to talk about the flimsiest of correlations with GV?
Oh, so you say you don't know? Well, that's actually understandable because Apple hasn't given an explanation themselves.
No, we don't know Apple's reason for pulling the other GV apps but that's precisely the point. Rather than jump to conclusions and draw baseless correlation to other unrelated apps, how about somebody do some actual investigative journalism or at least more objective reporting. See, for example, Stephen Shankland's own reporting elsewhere on this site.
- by Saeed_Khan September 1, 2009 10:50 PM PDT
- Amazing news of this morning Google Voice rejected but Vonage available on iTune, though other VoIP like Truphone, Vopium, Nimbuzz and fring is available on App store but rejection of GV is still a question mark !!
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