Okay Geek Farm
AT&T Has Their Hands Up Saying, "we didn't do nothin'!"
Ricardo Trejo
It's certainly been quite a week for At&t, Google, and Apple. Each day a new development bubbles up in the Google Voice rumble between Google and AT&T. Well, for some reason the FCC has decided it's a school yard fight they want to get in on.
If you're not familiar with what's going on then here's a quick rundown:
Google launched their largely anticipated service, Google Voice, two weeks ago; What voice does is give you the chance to snatch up your own personal phone number of choice (I.e. 123-4567), and then have all your phones (Cell, work, home) linked up to that number. What this does is aid you from ever missing a call ever again. You give people your Google Number and they can reach you no matter where you are, and all with one convenient number.
An app was designed and released on handsets like the Blackberry and, of course, the Google Android. So it was a no brainer when Google decided to make it for the iPhone as well. However, the issue wasn't what Google wanted, because for unknown reasons Apple slapped a DENY on their app request. You could say it was the stamp heard around the world because every major tech site was talking about that same day. Critics were trying to decide who to blame, and figured it was AT&T's involvement - I mean they're a phone company first, and they might feel endangered by Google's new venture into the phone business- that's what you'd think would be the problem, right? But the thing is the Blackberry, which also can be used with the AT&T network was "allowed" to receive the 'Voice' app. So realistically, AT&T seems to not be at fault. Apple, also, did come out with a statement saying they were the ones who felt the app was already stepping on some of the iPhone's toes, with similar features, so any suspicion of a tag team play between the two, against the app, should be left at the door.
Iphone users felt jipped by their provider and phone manufacturer, saying that Apple was stifling future tech's just because of minor issues with "similar features," which I myself have yet to see on my own iPhone. The FCC, noticing the media attention, felt it was their duty to see what was going on because of all the outcry. The FCC is not bullying either company to make them release the app, but wants to do an investigation on the ties and policies that phone companies have with their phone's manufacturers. I think this is a pretty good move on their part: they're trying to make sure th9is sort of practices don't become a new standard, although this could honestly just be Apple refusing to cooperate because their almighty iPhone is too good for Google.
