AT&T has told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that Apple Inc. is to blame for the rejection of the Google Voice application from the iPhone app store. According to AT&T, the company does not manage to approve any applications for the App Store at all. The FCC had asked Apple and AT&T to explain the process by which Apps are approved or rejected, and to what extend AT&T is involved in any given decision.
AT&T’s claim that is does not approve or reject applications for the App Store is not entirely true however, as it clearly had some sway over App limitations at least. The Slingbox and Skype apps have been forced to go WiFi-only in order to be listed in the App Store, largely due to network congestion fears from AT&T.
Even Apple CEO Steve Jobs stated that AT&T is “policing” VoIP applications, attributing Skype’s limitations to the carrier. The new issue highlights what is being seen as a rift between both companies in recent times which even saw Apple accused of making several swipes at AT&T at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
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According to PG.biz, Apple is set to add a “premium games section” to the App Store which will offer games for the iPhone and the iPod Touch for about $19.99 USD.
The section will be open to a restricted number of large publishers such as Electronics Arts, and would set the iPhone apart in the smartphone market as a “serious gaming” handheld.
Most games in the App Store currently come from low budget publishers or casual coders, and many sell for 99 cents to $9.99 USD. Apple recently noted that the store had hit a half billion downloads and was home to 15,000 applications.
Apple has not confirmed the report, and neither has any large publisher, but PocketGamer believes Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) would be a likely launch date.
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Just two weeks after the device sold out in the UK, it seems the 1st generation Apple iPhone is now sold out in the US as well.
A quick search of the Apple website will show that the popular device is “Currently Unavailable” in both the 8GB and 16GB variations.
The news has generally sparked rumors that the upcoming 3G iPhone will be released in the next 30 days, giving it the June launch date that many have been predicting.
The speculation puts the launch of the 3G model at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June, a one year anniversary of the launch of the 1st generation of the device.
More updates as they become available.
