It seems that, indeed, Google and Apple have become frenemies. If you have never heard that term before Wikipedia defines it as this:” a portmanteau of “friend” and “enemy” which can refer to either an enemy disguised as a friend or to a partner who is simultaneously a competitor.”  After the recent rejection by Apple of the Google Voice Application for the iPhone, Google and Apple are certainly giving each other the competitive eye. Although neither have spoken particularly ill of one another in the press, there have definitely been some punches thrown. 

The iPhone Dilemma

It all started (or so it seems) when Google submitted their Latitude Application for the iPhone. Apple rejected it. It seemed a minor albeit worrisome defeat. Then Google submitted their Voice Application for approval. Voice Application allows users to route through a Google number which in turn provides them with cheaper long-distance (especially overseas), text translation of voicemail messages, phone recording, and free text messaging to name but a few. The application seemed like a perfect match for the iPhone, especially considering it’s presence on almost every other competing smartphone.  Apparently Apple disagreed because they rejected it. Officially the rejection was based on Google Voice’s “duplicating features” of the iPhone. Hmm. Odd, but considering Apple’s seemingly willy-nilly style of approving and disapproving applications not completely shocking. Google accepted the defeat with grace publicly, but shortly thereafter Google CEO Eric Schmidt stepped down from Apple’s board of directors. It wasn’t necessarily a vindictive move- perhaps Apple’s rejection of Google Voice made him realize the conflict of interest, that now Apple and Google are competitors. 

What about AT&T?

Quite a bit has been made of AT&T’s role in Apple giving Google Voice the thumbs-down since the decision was announced. Many techies place the blame squarely on AT&T’s shoulders.  They claim it was AT&T’s fear of losing out on big bucks that made them convince Apple to disapprove the Google application- after all, Google Voice does make calls and texts quite a bit cheaper. According to them AT&T is simply a greedy corporation that forced Apple’s hand.  It is true that the Google Voice application would result in some monetary loss for AT&T, but would that have been enough to convince Apple to reject the apps of longtime friend Google? AT&T says no. Apple says no. According to two of the three companies involved AT&T had nothing to do with the decision. Which, if true, makes the denial of Google Voice all the more confusing.

Google and the Government 

Google has friends in powerful places. Eric Schmidt is one of President Obama’s technology advisors and his CTO is former Googler Andrew McLaughlin. Not that they had anything to do with the FCC’s investigation into the iPhone App Store…right? It does seem rather menacing, at least in appearance. Apple rejects Google Voice and all of the sudden the FCC takes an interest in the iPhone App Store and how certain applications are chosen for it. You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to think there something dodgy about this situation. Why is the FCC investigating the iPhone? Perhaps if it had a 90% share in the market this could be a bit more understandable but it doesn’t, the iPhone isn’t even the top selling smartphone in the US. What other logical reason would they have to investigate- if competition isn’t being stifled (and it isn’t) then why is the FCC involved at all? Did Google have anything to do with it? Maybe, maybe not. 

So, where does this leave us?  Who makes the next move? This duel is far from over, and neither Apple nor Google want to be the one to back down.