Apple Finally Approves A Native Google Voice Application (Again) | Hacker News Reader

Apple Finally Approves A Native Google Voice Application (Again)

mobilecrunch.com

50 pointsjoe6pack16 comments

The rejection of the Google voice application is the primary reason I have not upgraded to iPhone4 and was instead planning on switching to Android when my contract was up. I always felt they had the right to reject the app but for me, it was a case of Apple making a decision that was bad for me but good for them, which is exactly the kind of behavior from the carriers and other that I was trying to avoid by buying an iPhone. If they do approve the official gVoice app, I may consider sticking with iPhone over Android. I may finally be able to get rid of my gVoice text message to email to Prowl setup that I am currently running.

First the revision of the language restrictions, then the publication of the App Store guidelines, and now this. I suspect Apple had a run-in with the FCC that gave them considerable cause for concern.

I think you mean FTC?

It's true that the FTC has expressed concern over app store rules, but the FCC was specifically investigating the circumstances of the iPhone Google Voice app: http://www.apple.com/hotnews/apple-answers-fcc-questions/

And just to be clear, Apple still hasn't approved Google's GV app, which is what spawned that investigation. Will we see the official GV app approved now as well?

At this point, I'd be surprised if Google resubmitted it. The reason being that I feel that the deep integration with Google Voice that Android phones can offer is a fairly good selling point when one hesitates between Android and iOS. (when it was initially submitted, Android phones were much less popular)

That being said, if the unofficial apps get popular, it might then be in Google's interest to offer their own to control the offers and make sure their service is appealing to even iPhone owners.

I thought that as well, and posted a similar comment on a different thread that provoked an interesting response: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1677715

Notifo just integrated GV Connect so you can open the Google Voice push notifications in a native app instead of jumping through the mobile safari stuff. More info here: http://blog.notifo.com/use-gv-connect-iphone-app-notifo-for-...

Not the official app.

What makes you think there will be one? There is no native "official" Gmail app.

Google submitted a native, official Google Voice application to the App Store in the first half of 2009. That application was rejected, though Apple told the press and FCC that it was still "pondering" whether or not to accept it (which was clearly bullshit).

Last week I asked Google if they planned to resubmit/release the official app, and was told that they had nothing to announce at this time.

why would anyone in their right mind use a native gmail app when you can use it in to iphone mail client for multiple accounts.

The Mail app doesn't follow the exact same behavior as the Gmail interface. I tend to prefer the mobile web interface for that reason (e.g. archiving, tagging, mark as spam work the same, whereas are somewhat broken through the Mail app). One could imagine that an official native app would follow the same "philosophy". (though the mobile web app is very well done, and can be used offline to a certain extent)

iOS4 actually has great support for gmail finally. You can enable archive instead of delete in the options now (may have to re-add the account). In iOS 4.1 they even changed the icon away from the trash can when you have this enabled.

That being said, I miss support for priority inbox already.

True, but hopefully if they are allowing unofficial apps, the official one will be allowed.

If it is not allowed by Apple again, maybe the "clarification" promise of the new App Store rules will officially tell Google what Apple doesn't like. At that point (i assume) Google will do one of the following:

1) Make the requested changes and get it approved.

2) If they don't like the requested changes, they will make a very public post on the Google Public Policy or Voice blog like they did about their complaint to the FCC about the original app rejection (http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2009/09/our-complete-...)

Also to note, it is possible that the original Google Voice app submitted last summer would not work with changes Google has made to Voice in the past year. So theoretically now that they know (or found out) that Apple will accept gVoice apps, Google could be working on updates to the app to get it to work before re-submitting it to Apple.

Either way, I think (hope?) that at some point in the near future the official app will come through.

Maybe we should thank Android? Competition is a lovely thing.

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