Apple “Rejects” Google Voice App. Again.

Apple has once again denied (sort of, not really. Its confusing. Apple seems to be saying one thing, but doing the other.) Google’s Google Voice submission for the App Store. I still have a hard time believing that AT&T has not had any part in this decision, although Apple remains adamant that this is the case. Google voice really only puts AT&T’s business in jeopardy and only stands to increase App Store usage. It seems that AT&T would be the only party that would stand to lose if this app went through. Google doesn’t seem challenge Apple’s ownership of the decision, though they have not spoken directly with AT&T. AT&T, as always, claims to have no involvement and fully denies involvement in the App Store selection process. Apple maintains that the only reason for the rejection of Google Voice stems from the fact that it duplicates Apple’s SMS and dialer, and sends contact information to Google’s servers.

“Apple’s representatives informed Google that the Google Voice application was rejected because Apple believed the application duplicated the core dialer functionality of the iPhone,” reads Google’s response to the FCC. “The Apple representatives indicated that the company did not want applications that could potentially replace such functionality.”

Honestly, though, I don’t care about the App Store bureaucracy. I just want to see Google Voice on the iPhone. I kind of wish that Google would just man up and release it to Cydia, though that will likely never happen due to the slew of legal issues and crumbled partnerships that would follow. What a shame.

[MacNN via Electronista]