AT&T OKs VoIP For the iPhone, Too Bad Google Voice Isn't VoIP

By MG Siegler

Monday, we saw a Vonage app hit the App Store, which seemed to go against Apple (AAPL) and AT&T’s (T) previous stance that VoIP apps that work over the 3G (and 2G) network would not be allowed in the App Store. Turns out there’s been a policy change. AT&T has just announced that it will no longer restrict VoIP apps that use its network on the iPhone, a move which is long overdue considering that it was already allowing these on other phones.

But don’t be fooled. A rumor earlier Tuesday about the move suggested that AT&T was thinking about letting Google Voice on the iPhone alongside Skype, Vonage, and other VoIP apps. There’s two problems here. First, Google Voice isn’t actually a VoIP app. Second, AT&T did not have anything to do with the Google Voice rejection (or non-approval, whatever), that was all Apple.

Apple has never said it blocked the Google Voice app because it was a VoIP app (which would have fallen under its agreement with AT&T to do so), it blocked it because it said it emulated many of the features of the actual phone portion of the iPhone, and would confuse customers. That’s pretty much crap, especially considering that the Vonage app which was just approved also looks like the iPhone’s phone portion.

And here’s where things get really interesting. Since the Vonage (VG) app does look so much like the iPhone dialer, maybe it is a signal that Apple is gearing up to do the right thing and allow the app into the store. We’ve stated from the beginning that we thought that was likely to eventually happen, following the huge negative reaction about the rejection.

But again, that has nothing to do with VoIP apps now being allowed in the store, because Google Voice is not one of them. And if Apple tries to now allow Google Voice in the store under that guise, that would be extremely disingenuous.

This move seems to be simply AT&T looking at scrutiny from the FCC (brought about by the Google Voice thing), and also seeing moves like Verizon teaming up with Android to do phones that will offer Google Voice, and attempting to make sure that it is not again portrayed to be the bad guy here. Of course, at the same time, they’re also petitioning the FCC to look into Google Voice, which we think is fair (but also hypocritical) under net neutrality ideals — even if Google doesn’t.

Look for more shake out from all of this.

Original post

Comments

[Nextel Acce...:]

what difference does it make, you can't even get email on AT&T's crummy data network, can't imagine what voip would be like.....

Oct 06 08:44 PM

[Eric in IL:]

More proof that minutes are dead. VoIP is a low consumer of bandwidth. The future of Mobile service is connectivity + some application platform.
Not sure how you mean Google Voice is not VoIP? Inherently, if the Google Voice app is communicating via IP from the iPhone to some switch somewhere, it is still VoIP. VoIP does not mean all IP all through the call. For the most part, any VoIP originating or terminating call hits a traditional switch, trunk, or other gateway when it travels internetwork. Hardly anyone peers.

Oct 07 12:21 AM

[Uncle Miltie:]

Seriously, TechCrunch needs to get a bed with their infatuation of all things Google. They take at face value everything Google says (which has been shown previously to be about as evil as every other company), and assume that Apple is lying about the FCC stuff. Here's a suggestion - assume that both companies (and AT&T as well) are lying to a degree, and you'll be closer to the truth.

Second item - 99.9% of the US public has no idea what Google Voice is, and even fewer actually have it. Quit acting like this is the worlds greatest tragedy because Michael Arrington can't get a Google Voice app on his iPhone.

Since TechCrunch is soon to be releasing their own device (which will undoubtedly receive nothing but praise in TechCrunch), I would suggest that they get dropped from Seeking Alpha as they will no longer be an independent blogger, but will now actually be a manufacturer with a dog in the fight. And I'd hazard a guess that they have some tie-in with Google on it...

Oct 07 08:15 AM

[sleepy:]

On yer bike and go home, TechCrunch. Spoiled brat whingeing instead of any kind of insight about what's really happening here.

Oct 07 09:39 AM

[JAMES CARLINI:]

ERIC in IL is on target.

Voice? Voice is not the big App anymore.

4G is where it's at. 3G does NOT perform as well when you download video-apps AND THAT IS WHERE THE MARKET IS GOING.

At 4G WORLD in Chicago a couple of weeks ago, everyone was showing the benefits of real bandwidth and what you could do with it.

We are at the Gigabyte Generation where smartphone users want to download 20,30 even 40 Gigabytes per month. With that type of usage, phones on a 3G network don't cut it.

The CEO of CLEARWIRE had a great video comparison of two iPhones - one on a 3G network and the other on a 4G network side-by-side. Downloading a video-based app was about 4 times as fast.

If you are on a 3G network, you might as well have 8Tracks in your car. (if you can even remember that far back)

Oct 07 09:41 AM

[jarco:]

As usual, the comments are worth magnitudes more than the original posting. Kudos to the poster, however, where would we be without ye

Oct 07 02:10 PM