FCC Inquiry into GV App Rejection: Comments Filed Today

USA Today has reminded us all that Apple’s, AT&T’s and Google’s comments on the Apple iPhone app store removal and rejection of all Google Voice related apps are due today.

For those who don’t remember or are not up to speed, Apple pulled GV Mobile, a google voice app for the iPhone/iPod touch back at the end of July, much to the dislike of many people. Soon after, the FCC got involved and sent a letter to Apple, AT&T, and Google asking for clarification on the situation. It is thought that AT&T forced Apple to remove the Google Voice apps from the app store to prevent iPhone owners from skirting AT&T’s long distance charges by using Google Voice on their phones. It turns out that it is still easy to use Google Voice on the iPhone; one just has to use the web version of Google Voice instead of having a native app.

Today is the day that the comments were filed in response to the FCC letter to the involved parties.

The article also notes that interestingly, Google, while having their app blocked on the Apple app store, has neutered Skype’s Android (the Google OS on some phones) application such that instead of passing Skype calls through normal VoIP/Internet channels, it forces the calls to go over the cellular network, allowing the accrual of airtime minutes where they would otherwise be avoided by using internet communications.

This is a much needed inquiry into the whole cellular/VoIP industry as uncertainty about exactly what companies can do about traffic on their network needs clearing up. Can Google ask for reinstatement of the google voice apps on the iPhone while blocking Skype functionality on Android? Should Google and Apple be able to block such functionality at all, or is it entirely up to the platform designers as to what gets in and what doesn’t? What are the guidelines for rejection of an app? Does there need to be consistency or oversight?