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Filed under: Handsets, ATT, Apple

Yeah, we’re pretty much all peeved by Apple suddenly ejecting all traces of Google Voice from the app store, but now it looks to have drawn the ire of the Federal Communications Commission, as well. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the agency has sent out three letters, one each to Apple, AT&T, and Google. To the latter company, it asked for a description of the Google Voice app and whether previous Google apps have been approved for the store (it has, but that’s another interesting story). To Cupertino, it’s asking the phone manufacturer to explain itself over the sudden exorcism and what involvement, if any, AT&T had in this decision. The report doesn’t make a direct indication of what the letter to the carrier said, but we can imagine it’s similar to what Apple got, plus some doodles at the end of a stick figure letting out an exasperated sigh. In a statement today, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said it “has a mission to foster a competitive wireless marketplace, protect and empower consumers, and promote innovation and investment.” Hey Julius, while you’re at it, can you see about Skype and Slingbox for us, too? Thanks.

Update: TechCrunch has published the three letters sent out, all very interesting reads. The FCC asks Apple specifically if any approved VoIP apps are allowed to be used over AT&T’s 3G network, and more generally what are the “standards for considering and approving iPhone applications” and more details into the approval process. It also asks for the contact information of all developers of rejected Google Voice apps, presumably for further investigation. In the Google letter, it seems to be asking if Voice will be able to be utilized in any capacity over the web, without inclusion in the iTunes store. Unsurprisingly, a number of questions to Apple and AT&T concern the carrier’s involvement in which apps or types of apps get rejected. All companies have until August 21st to respond and can request confidentiality on all or portions of their response.

FCC queries AT&T, Apple on Google Voice iPhone app rejection originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handsets, ATT, Apple, iPhone OS

Perhaps the big G spoke too soon when it said its new Google Voice service was coming to iPhone. First, GV Mobile developer Sean Kovacs relays a phone call he had with Apple where he was notified of his app being removed from the iTunes store for duplicating built-in iPhone features — an app that was originally and purportedly approved by Phil Schiller himself. Next out the door was GVdialer, and if you thought that was all bad, now comes word that Google’s official Voice app was flat-out rejected by Cupertino. Now it’s hard to say with certainty who’s to blame for these app rejections, but a good many fingers are pointing to the cellular carriers — and given AT&T’s previous statements about the SlingPlayer app, it’s hard to argue with that. For its part, the company hinted at finding a workaround via web apps, much like they did when Apple gave Latitude a cold shoulder — but doesn’t that feel just a little 2007?

[Via Apple Insider]

Read – Official Google Voice App Blocked from App Store
Read – GV Mobile is getting pulled from App Store
Read – Sean Kovac’s Twitter status on Schiller

Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Apple, webOS

You should be refilling that popcorn bucket right about now. While we thought the next round of the Pre / iTunes syncing fiasco would probably be something simple like Apple releasing another quick patch, Palm has stepped it up a notch by complaining to the USB Implementers Forum over what it sees is “improper use of the Vendor ID number” by the gang at Cupertino. What the company means is that when an ID is applied for, a form is signed that states:

“Unauthorized use of assigned or unassigned USB Vendor ID Numbers and associated Product ID Numbers are strictly prohibited.”

The implication here is that Palm believes Apple is violating this stature by disallowing certain Vendor IDs — namely, Palm’s — from using iTunes. So how’d Palm manage to “fix” that syncing hole Apple managed to fill? From the looks of it, by misrepresenting its own Vendor ID, so that the Pre now shows up as a iPod / mass storage device made by Apple (ID 0×05ac) as opposed to one by Palm (ID 0×083) — hence the complaint. Of course, lying about your own ID would seem to break with the aforementioned rule, too, so what we’re left here is some muddled grey area and Palm apparently being okay with fudging some data to correct what it sees is an injustice. If anyone’s curious, DVD Jon points out that the root USB Node is still identified as “Pre,” so we very likely could see another round of these shenanigans in the not-too-distant future.

Finally, now’s as good of a time as any to take a look at some of the peripheral casualties from this war of attrition. In an essay on his personal site that’s been circulating the interwebs, Marc Deslauriers outlines the pangs he and the Linux community have felt over the years trying to use iPods on the open source platform, surmising that Apple is intentionally and repeatedly seeking ways to block non-iTunes programs from syncing in any way with its devices. This story is far from over, and as ugly as it looks now, it’s probably only gonna get worse.

[Via Digg and Pre Central]

Read – Marc Deslauriers, “Goodbye Apple”
Read – Palm’s lodges complaint with USB IF
Read – USB Vendor ID application
Read – Palm Pre USB hack confirmed

Palm complains about Apple to USB governing body, while Pre / iTunes sync “fix” is explained originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Palm, Apple, webOS

Palm itself had warned that the Pre’s iTunes sync functionality could be broken at a moment’s notice (and at Apple’s whim), but we’re pretty sure no one expected it’d happen this quickly. We’ve been able to confirm that version 8.2.1 of the software prevents the sync from working, meaning that you’ve got to add music the old-fashioned way — the Pre functions as a USB drive, too — until Palm gets around to patching the hack (if they decide to patch it, that is). This could end up being a protracted game of cat-and-mouse, which is entertaining to watch but nightmarish for the consumers down in the trenches actually trying to use this stuff. Funny thing is, Apple’s straight up saying in its release notes that the update “addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices” — in other words, they weren’t being verified before, and now they are, thank goodness. Peaceful sleep is once again within our reach.

iTunes 8.2.1 brings Pre’s music syncing capability to a halt originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Software, Apple

Yes, it seems like only yesterday (or about 3 months ago) that Apple crossed a landmark — 1 billion apps downloaded from its App Store — and here we are again. Apple’s just issued a press release stating that it’s now seen another half a billion apps downloaded in about three months — putting them over the 1.5 billion mark. Apple doesn’t get all the kudos to themselves, though: after all, someone’s been downloading The Moron Test. A lot.

Apple’s App Store crosses the 1.5 billion download mark originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Apple, webOS

We’re still not 100 percent clear what Apple’s next move is, but we do know they’re a little more than nonplussed about Pre’s ad hoc iTunes syncing methods. Despite Cupertino’s update to its support site last night, Palm seems unconcerned, as relayed by a spokesperson to Digital Daily. In a statement, the company said disabling the sync “will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience” and that “there are other third-party applications we could consider.” In other word, it’d be Apple’s loss. We’re not quite sure we agree there, nor would we really think “stay with the iTunes version that works to sync their music on their Pre” method is really the best suggestion, but hey, we’re not the multimillion dollar phone manufacturer here. We anxiously await to see if and when this cold war is turned up a few notches.

Palm responds to iTunes / Pre statement, defiant and unfazed originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Software, Apple, iPhone OS

So now that the iPhone 3.0 launch is in full swing, we’re wondering how it’s going out there. Team Engadget appears to have made it through without any problems, but we’re hearing sporadic reports of Apple’s iTunes activation servers being slammed and potentially some kind of IE security certificate problem on Windows, which is leaving a few people with unusable phones while things get sorted out. Everything work out okay for you?

How’s the iPhone OS 3.0 upgrade going for you? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Apple, webOS

Looks like Apple’s response to the Pre’s support for iTunes syncing is starting to take form — a snippy little note titled “About unsupported third-party digital media players” was just posted to the company’s support site. The money quote:

Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players.

Here’s where it gets interesting: since the Pre identifies itself to iTunes as a bog-standard iPod, Apple would have to actively code in a USB node check to actually block syncing, which is just a little bit more aggressive than the “software changes over time” mentioned here. We’ll see if Apple decides to engage in a cat-and-mouse with a company now run by the former head of the iPod division — we’ve got a feeling this could get messy.

[Via Daring Fireball]

Apple says iTunes syncing only for Apple devices, looks sternly at Palm originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Apple, webOS

Looks like Apple’s response to the Pre’s support for iTunes syncing is starting to take form — a snippy little note titled “About unsupported third-party digital media players” was just posted to the company’s support site. The money quote:

Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players.

Here’s where it gets interesting: since the Pre identifies itself to iTunes as a bog-standard iPod, Apple would have to actively code in a USB node check to actually block syncing, which is just a little bit more aggressive than the “software changes over time” mentioned here. We’ll see if Apple decides to engage in a cat-and-mouse with a company now run by the former head of the iPod division — we’ve got a feeling this could get messy.

[Via Daring Fireball]

Apple says iTunes syncing only for Apple devices, looks sternly at Palm originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Apple, webOS

Looks like Apple’s response to the Pre’s support for iTunes syncing is starting to take form — a snippy little note titled “About unsupported third-party digital media players” was just posted to the company’s support site. The money quote:

Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players.

Here’s where it gets interesting: since the Pre identifies itself to iTunes as a bog-standard iPod, Apple would have to actively code in a USB node check to actually block syncing, which is just a little bit more aggressive than the “software changes over time” mentioned here. We’ll see if Apple decides to engage in a cat-and-mouse with a company now run by the former head of the iPod division — we’ve got a feeling this could get messy.

[Via Daring Fireball]

Apple says iTunes syncing only for Apple devices, looks sternly at Palm originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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