In other news, Google yanks Apple iPhone from search results, claiming the built in Safari browser "duplicates functionality" of the Google search engine.
This makes me want to return the 3G I bought on Saturday, cancel my new AT&T contract and buy a G1. Between this and their growing shitty service (3g reception in SF is for ass), are they now _actively_ trying to turn customers away?
Wait for the G2 ("myTouch 3G"), out in a few days. I have been using Android installed onto my AT&T Tilt, and it's amazingly good. It compares well to the iPhone experience; email, chat, Google Voice, and the browser all work very well. The added benefit is that there is no restriction on what apps can do; if you want an app that runs in the background and sucks your battery dry, that's totally up to you.
(Also interesting; the touchscreen works horribly under the Windows Mobile install that the Tilt ships with, but it works great under Android. I can actually use the software keyboard with 100% accuracy, and I don't need to use the stylus. Amazing.)
Anyway, I am on AT&T, but I am jumping ship to whichever US carrier gets the HTC Hero. (Hopefully Sprint, as they will also be releasing their 4G network soon.)
The better touchscreen may actually just be a better corrective dictionary... It seems reasonable to me that some Googler got to write a mapreduce for thumb-type correction.
This is what happens when you let a platform control the software that's released on it. Absolutely crazy, short-sighted anti-competitive practices.
I don't mind Apple having an official AppStore where only the products they sanction show up, but at least provide a method for installing applications outside of the app store.
I'm on my second iPhone (first 2g, now 3gs), and there's a lot to like about it. Specifically, if it weren't for the iPhone, I don't think we'd have an Android or a Palm Pre right now. The carriers exerted so much control over their phones that nothing innovative could really happen.
However, now that Apple has opened up the playing field, I hope Android or Pre wins the market.
Apple should be careful here. This could be one of those game changer moments. The vast majority of the previous removals/denials were legitimate but Apple has already allowed VOIP applications and already allowed apps that duplicate functionality of the Dialer. There is no possible way Apple can walk this one back and make it look like anything other than anti-competitive behavior. Apple has enough leverage with carriers that they can dictate the rules now. What's AT&T going to do? Stop selling iPhones? Apple needs to flex their muscle on this.
"Apple has enough leverage with carriers that they can dictate the rules now. What's AT&T going to do? Stop selling iPhones?"
Agreed - the article insinuates that AT&T had the app blocked, I wholeheartedly disagree. Apple has been dictating terms to AT&T since the beginning of their deal. In addition, I'm using AT&T w/ a BB in California and the GVoice app is working perfectly fine.
"Yet another possibility is that Google’s official application is imminent, and the GV Mobile app was pulled to reduce confusion once that’s out (though this seems less likely)."
My initial thought was, OK, Google is probably prepping their own native app for release...likely or not, I hope its the case. I use the blackberry app almost exclusively for all my calls now and dont see going back to my BB's dialer.
Apple's recent actions at the app store are disconcerting to say the least...What about the skype app? Is that going to be (or has it been) yanked too?
I suppose its another reason to be happy I stuck with my BB ;)
Note however that: 1) the get-rich-quick stories are irresistible. ( Hurry up and approve my app so I can make a million in six weeks like SGN!! ). 2 ) huge, wealthy customer base.
I have GV Movile on my iPodTouch and I use it for a lot of my calls. AT&T shouldn't be able to make Apple remove apps solely because of feature redundancy on one of the two platforms.
As an iPhone developer, this makes me really pissed. I was working on a (non-GV) app I was modeling off of GV mobile, and quite frankly I'm scared to submit it now.
WTF Apple. The really scary thing is these rumors I keep hearing about the secret ninja app reviewers that call you instead of giving you something in writing because they're afraid it will get press.
Does anybody know what the rules are regarding ad-hoc distribution?
I believe that you can install your apps without going through the App Store if you have a developer license (either for debugging or through the ad-hoc process), right? So, now, could there be a network of people with developer licenses to deliver some open-source apps in that manner?
I just sort of realized how sick apple makes me after I "synced" and deleted a bunch of my apps off my iPhone from iTunes. Stuff like this doesn't help. I don't really think I'll be staying with them after the contact.
