Apple, AT&T Deny Collusion in FCC Google Voice Inquiry [Broadband Census]
Apple, AT&T and Google have filed their responses to the FCC's inquiry about the rejection of the Google Voice application for the Apple iPhone. Google's Voice product allows users to create a new phone number with call routing to existing phones, transcribed voicemail and free SMS messaging. To allow users to access these features from the iPhone, Google had submitted an application to Apple for the iPhone Apps Store, but it was never posted for download at the Apps Store. Sources at Google indicated that the application was rejected by Apple, but it now appears that both Apple and AT&T (the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the U.S.) deny rejecting the application.
For its part, AT&T denies any consultation with Apple regarding the Google Voice application and insists that Apple took the actions that it did on its own. Apple has filed a response that indicates that they're still reviewing the application and that the application has the appearance of duplicating features of the iPhone core functionality.
As Ars Technica reports, critics are expressing disbelief about the AT&T and Apple responses on this issue, questioning how Google's application replaces or duplicates the core functionality of the iPhone.
It will be interesting to see how this issue plays out, as Apple and AT&T have hampered the functionality and rejected other applications that had the potential to compete other Apple or AT&T products.
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