This sounds like B$ to me... Sooner or later, apple/at+t will be taken to court over the handling of the app store
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10315309-37.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0
AT&T told federal regulators on Friday that it played no part in Apple's decision to keep the Google Voice application from the App Store, while Apple said it never actually rejected the application.
In response to inquiries from the Federal Communications Commission, AT&T's Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs, told the agency, "Let me state unequivocally: AT&T had no role in any decision by Apple to not accept the Google Voice application for inclusion in the Apple App Store."
Google Voice, which allows users to forward calls from multiple telephone numbers to a smartphone and make cheap international calls, was deemed unfit for App Store inclusion in July after it was released for BlackBerry and Android smartphones.
Apple, for its part, claimed that the application was never actually rejected. "Contrary to published reports, Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application and continues to study it. 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, text messaging and voicemail," Apple said in a statement.
Google also filed a letter in response to the FCC inquiry but redacted a significant portion of that letter when releasing it to the media, according to Reuters. Google did not immediately respond to a request for the letter.
Suspicion immediately fell upon AT&T after the Google Voice application did not make it through the approval process, based on the fact that the application lets users bypass hefty rates on international calls. AT&T has also been believed to be behind the delay or rejection of several other applications that could have placed a strain on its network, such as Sling Media's SlingPlayer Mobile application.
But AT&T said it has little influence over the approval process.
"AT&T was not asked about the matter by Apple at any time, nor did we offer any view one way or the other. More broadly, AT&T does not own, operate, or control the Apple App Store, and is not typically consulted regarding the approval or rejection of applications for the App Store or informed when an application is approved or rejected," Cicconi said in the letter.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10315309-37.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0
AT&T told federal regulators on Friday that it played no part in Apple's decision to keep the Google Voice application from the App Store, while Apple said it never actually rejected the application.
In response to inquiries from the Federal Communications Commission, AT&T's Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs, told the agency, "Let me state unequivocally: AT&T had no role in any decision by Apple to not accept the Google Voice application for inclusion in the Apple App Store."
Google Voice, which allows users to forward calls from multiple telephone numbers to a smartphone and make cheap international calls, was deemed unfit for App Store inclusion in July after it was released for BlackBerry and Android smartphones.
Apple, for its part, claimed that the application was never actually rejected. "Contrary to published reports, Apple has not rejected the Google Voice application and continues to study it. 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, text messaging and voicemail," Apple said in a statement.
Google also filed a letter in response to the FCC inquiry but redacted a significant portion of that letter when releasing it to the media, according to Reuters. Google did not immediately respond to a request for the letter.
Suspicion immediately fell upon AT&T after the Google Voice application did not make it through the approval process, based on the fact that the application lets users bypass hefty rates on international calls. AT&T has also been believed to be behind the delay or rejection of several other applications that could have placed a strain on its network, such as Sling Media's SlingPlayer Mobile application.
But AT&T said it has little influence over the approval process.
"AT&T was not asked about the matter by Apple at any time, nor did we offer any view one way or the other. More broadly, AT&T does not own, operate, or control the Apple App Store, and is not typically consulted regarding the approval or rejection of applications for the App Store or informed when an application is approved or rejected," Cicconi said in the letter.
