Apple slaps Google in the face with new Vonage app for iPhone

Image courtesy of TechCrunch

One of my favorite technology companies is quickly building a nasty reputation for itself and developing a culture of lying. For months, Google, Apple and AT&T have been playing hot potato with the issue of Google Voice for iPhone and giving consumers the runaround when it comes to responsibility for the application’s rejection, or non-rejection according to Apple. When the FCC stepped in to investigate the matter, Apple issued a response stating that it did not reject the application and “continues to study it,” whatever that means. Google then released previously redacted information explicitly saying the Google Voice application for the iPhone was rejected. Meanwhile, AT&T said it really had nothing to do with the issue.

Apple’s official statement on the Google Voice app non-rejection is:

“The application has not been approved because, as submitted for review, it appears to alter the iPhone’s distinctive user experience by replacing the iPhone’s core mobile telephone functionality and Apple user interface with its own user interface for telephone calls…”

Anyone who has owned an iPhone and used apps like Fring, Skype or GV Mobile (which was pulled after approval for the same reason the official Google Voice app was rejected) knows damn well that there are applications in existence which duplicate the phone’s telephone and dialer functions and interface. Just to prove that point, Apple has approved a Vonage application which does the very same things for which the Google Voice app was rejected! One can only speculate that there is something deeper behind Apple’s stance on Google Voice versus the undoubtedly less popular Vonage app.

Is anyone fuming yet, or are we past the point of caring?

Via TechCrunch