By Brandon Matthews
Things are heating up in Silicon Valley. Today we learned that Apple (AAPL) board member and Google (GOOG) CEO Eric Schmidt stepped down today amid competitive issues. I had recently suggested that Sirius XM Radio (SIRI) should consider an app for Google’s Android platform now that it had finally debuted on the iPhone. Apparently, the Apple / Google dispute is directly related to the two companies respective operating platforms. It seems Apple has not only rejected Google’s voice search application but it has removed other applications from its platform that were previously approved.
As most of you know, I check for FCC filings on a daily basis. It appears the F.C.C. is taking note of all of this and is seeking information from Apple, its hardware partner AT&T (T) as well as from Google as to the reasoning behind Apple’s denial of open access for iPhone applications.
James Schlichting, Acting Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau for the Federal Communications Bureau is demanding answers to be supplied by no later than August 21, 2009, as has precluded the companies from using blanket requests of confidential information. The wording of the correspondence makes it clear that the F.C.C. is not looking kindly on Apple’s unwillingness to provide an open access format for its app providers in allowing no competive features to its own platform to be approved.
This action may in the end, allow app developers such as Nicemac to once again enter a market where consumers decide what they want. Nicemac, which walked away from smart phone app development altogether after creating a Sirius XM iPhone application of their own, was denied by Apple as well. As of yet, there is still no application available for existing and potential Sirius XM Radio subscribers to stream the service on Google’s Android platform or any other platform aside from Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch.
For complete copies of the letters, click the links below:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-1737A1.txthttp://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-1739A1.txthttp://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-1736A1.txt
Is this why there is no “Yahoo VOICE OUT” on the Yahoo Messenger iphone app? Yahoo Voice is perhaps my favorite of the VOIP programs out there that I use on my laptop religiously.
When it wasn’t included in the first edition of the Yahoo iphone app…I was disappointed, but figured they’d add it on a later update.
But when it was updated, I was bummed to realize they didn’t include it.
But then why is there Skype? Or other VOIP programs like “iCALL” or “FRiNG” or “FRIEND CALLER”?
Why block Google….and I assume Yahoo from offering it on their messenger apps?
I really think this is ATTs doings and not apples. I believe ATT is afraid of losing money because of the GV app. I hope the Fcc cracks the whip on them. Competition is a great thing for companies. It keeps them on their toes and the consumer from getting abused.
Make no mistake, Apple has ATT by the Alexander Graham BALLS. Any decision to NOT carry an app is Apple’s decision alone. Period.
ATT is not in a position to demand or dictate anything. They’re too busy licking Steve Job’s feet.
You might be suprised. ATT was the reason an app wasnt accepted not to long ago.
The app was said to require to much bandwidth and ATT had a huge say in it being rejected.
Happened just a few months ago but i cant recall the apps name.
It made headlines though.
Oh yeah. I remember something like that. What the heck was that? I thought it was just a rumor. WAIT. Wasn’t that the reason were speculating at first why Howard Stern, Football and Baseball weren’t included on the Sirius iphone app? Lol. I’m serious. I remember that was one of the rumored reasons.