Apple has apparently hung up on the Google Voice application for the Apple iPhone.
Google Voice provides users with a free phone number that can be used to make them reachable via single-number dialing on any phone, including smartphones. Google Voice also offers free domestic calls, cheaper long distance calls and advanced call screening features, as well as free SMS messages and voice-activated services. Currently, the Google Voice service is invitation-only.
Google Voice recently released mobile applications for Android and BlackBerry devices, but the application heard a dial tone when seeking inclusion in Apple's widely popular App Store. Apple reportedly put the kibosh on a Google Voice App Store application submitted by Google that would have enabled the service on Apple's iPhone smartphone.
"We work hard to bring Google applications to a number of mobile platforms, including iPhone," a Google spokesperson told TechCrunch. "Apple did not approve the Google Voice application we submitted six weeks ago to the Apple App Store. We will continue to work to bring our services to iPhone users -- for example, by taking advantage of advances in mobile browsers."
Apple has not said yet why the Google Voice application for the iPhone was deep-sixed, though some industry watchers are pointing the finger at AT&T, saying the carrier put pressure on Apple to not include Google Voice in the App Store out of fear of losing money. Google Voice offers some features and functions at a lower cost than AT&T, and, in some cases, features AT&T charges for are available from Google Voice for free.
Apple's rejection of a Google Voice App Store application for the iPhone, however, doesn't mean iPhone users can't access Google Voice altogether. IPhone users can still access a host of Google Voice features via the Web interface using the iPhone's browser.
Apple's rejection of the Google Voice application for the App Store comes on the heels of Apple not allowing Google Latitude, Google's location-based tool that lets users see where their friends are, into the iPhone store. In that case, industry watchers said Apple feared that the application would create confusion with the iPhone's Maps offering. Google Latitude for the iPhone ended up launching as a Web application instead of in the App Store.
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