The wait for the official, native Google Voice app for iPhone is over. Google’s exciting application has now been approved and is now available for free download from iTunes. Apple and Google went back and forth on Google Voice for months. Google got around Apple’s restrictions by offering a web app for iPhone. Once Apple changed its app policy and started approving unofficial Google Voice apps, the writing was on the wall.

Google Voice for iPhone allows iPhone owners to make phone calls without having to go broke. Free text messaging and voicemail transcription is supported as well. Just like the web version of this app, when you make a call using Google Voice, your Google number shows up as your caller ID. Read the rest of this entry »

Apple and Google have not exactly been on the best of terms for quite some time. Since Eric Schmidt exited Apple’s board, things started to go south between both companies. Apple rejecting Google apps such as Google Voice did not help the relationship. Apple has started changing its policy towards Google apps or so it seems. GV apps have already been approved to iTunes. Now Google fans get to play with Goggles on iPhone.

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What a turnaround this past few weeks have been for Google Voice. It has taken Apple a lot of time to finally approve the official Google Voice app. Apple rejected the app initially for duplicating features that come with the iPhone already. Google and Apple went back and forth over Google Voice and other Google apps. The whole episode was not beneficial to either side nor to consumers.

Apple’s new app guidelines mean that apps such as Voice by Google have an easier time getting through and being approved to iTunes. The company could have potentially put more obstacles in the way of Google but no company likes to be dealt a government investigation.

Techcrunch.com reported this latest development:

we’ve gotten word that the official Google Voice application is on its way to the iPhone in the next few weeks. In fact, we’ve heard from a source close to Google that it’s already been approved — Google just needs to revamp the application to work with the iPhone 4 and iOS’s multitasking capabilities.

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It has taken Apple a while to come around, but it has finally approved two Google Voice clients to give iPhone owners the ability to take advantage of that service to make calls and save money. Google and Apple may not be on the friendliest terms. That shouldn’t mean Google Voice can’t have a future on iPhone. AT&T may not be too happy about this development, but Apple almost had to loosen its app approval policy to stay out of hot water. GV Connect and GV Mobile+ are currently the two GV clients that iPhone users can use to make calls using Google’s phone service.

GV clients are not the only previously rejected apps, now approved, in iTunes these days. The good old C64 emulator is back too and better than ever. It was rejected a while ago due to using a BASIC interpreter. Its updated version is now approved by Apple (with BASIC enabled). Read the rest of this entry »

Apple iPhone may not be a perfect device but there is no question it offers one of the best smart-phone experiences people can get their hands on. Unlike Android, the iOS is a closed source system. That is not always a bad thing considering that Apple keeps a close eye on what’s going on its platform. The downside is, Apple has made it difficult for its customers to play with Google Voice and Adobe Flash on their devices. With Apple publishing its app guidelines and relaxing its restrictions, it seems there is new hope for Google Voice and Flash on iPhone and iPad:

For the first time we are publishing the App Store Review Guidelines to help developers understand how we review submitted apps… We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store.

Apple’s development rules now allow for developers to use third party tools to create their applications. That means developers can potentially rely on Adobe Flash to bring their dynamic applications to iPhone. Apple is not admitting it has made a mistake about Flash. It has just relaxed its rules to give developers what they have been asking for (and to stay in the good graces of the FTC).

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