I have loved the iPhone, but now I am quitting the iPhone.
This is not an easy decision.
I was there in January 2007 when it was announced and I bought the first iPhone as soon as it was available. I happily bought the iPhone 3G a year later. I’ve proudly yelled “I Am A Member Of The Cult Of iPhone.” I’ve been an unabashed cheerleader for the device to all who’ll listen. And I’ve scoffed at developers who said they’d abandon the platform.
But I’m not going to upgrade to the iPhone 3GS. Instead, I’m abandoning the iPhone and AT&T. I will grudgingly pay the $175 AT&T termination fee and then I will move on to another device.
What finally put me over the edge? It wasn’t the routinely dropped calls, something you can only truly understand once you have owned an iPhone (and which drove my friend Om Malik to bail). I’ve lived with that for two years. It’s not the lack of AT&T coverage at home. I’ve lived with that for two years, too. It certainly isn’t the lack of a physical keyboard, that has never bothered me. No, what finally put me over the edge is the Google Voice debacle.
Most of you won’t know what I’m talking about, so I’ll explain.
Google Voice is a call management service that lets you determine what calls get through to you based on who’s calling and what time of day it is, among other factors. It has amazing features, like automatically transcribing all your voicemails. And you can forward calls to any other phone easily and automatically. Here’s an overview of the service if you aren’t familiar with it.
I’ve always wanted to use Google Voice but there’s a big switching cost – changing your phone number. Too many people have that phone number and use it to call in great stories. There’s no way I’m giving that up. And there’s another problem with Google Voice. When you make outbound calls from a phone, it (obviously) doesn’t use your Google Voice phone number, so recipients don’t know it’s you calling. Those were two hurdles I wasn’t willing to jump over.
But now Google is planning on rolling out number portability, so I can move my mobile phone number to Google. None of my friends, family or contacts have to store a new number.
That still leaves the problem of outbound calls, though. I can move my mobile number to Google and then get a new iPhone account, but outbound calls won’t be identified because they are on the new number. Google has a solution for that too, though. They are releasing apps for a variety of handsets that effectively take over the native dialer, address book and call log. Problem solved. I can use any phone I like, or a bunch of phones, and just choose the one that makes sense at any time. I never have to be tied to a carrier and their restrictive contracts again.
Or so I thought. Apple and AT&T are now blocking the iPhone version of the Google Voice app. Why? Because they absolutely don’t want people doing exactly what I’m doing – moving their phone number to Google and using the carrier as a dumb pipe.
So I have to choose between the iPhone and Google Voice. It’s not an easy decision. Except, it sort of is. Google isn’t forcing the decision on me, Apple and AT&T are. So I choose to work with the company that isn’t forcing me to do things their way. And in this case, that’s Google.
So what phone will I use next? Well, that decision is easy, too. I’d move to the Palm Pre because I believe it is the best phone out there other than the iPhone 3GS. But Google hasn’t created an app for the Palm Pre yet, just Android and Blackberry phones. So for now I’m going to use the new Android myTouch 3G along with the Google Voice App. As soon as something better comes out, or Google makes an app for the Pre, I’ll switch. And keep the same phone number. No long term contracts for me.
And Apple, if you ever decide to put the hammer down on AT&T and do the right thing for your loyal users, I’ll consider switching back. In the meantime, I’ll just use one of many iPod Touches laying around our office to test out new apps.
Once my current contract expires I think I’ll probably drop the iPhone too. Don’t hold me to that though…
I really wish that, instead of the techblogger crowd talking up “leaving iPhone/Apple” so much, SOMEONE would come up with a good, clear guide to switching to T-Mobile.
I mean, lesser of two evils for now, more incentive for Apple to go carrier-agnostic with the next hardware… Throw in a sub-guide/tracker to alert folks to at&t contract changes that make them eligible to break contract without ETFs, and you’ve REALLY got something that could make a difference – much moreso than (pardon the implication) a buncha tech elites “whining” about a product they all mostly like, and for which there really isn’t a feature-competitive alternative.
Well…if you want to keep your iphone, just jailbreak it, and add the blackberry plan whenever you sign up. Works for me.
Oh, and you can install ‘Activate MMS’ for integrated mms functionality, no 3rd party app.
The only thing you lose is visual voicemail, but thats not a big deal to me.
Good! Shift to the Blackberry now….better than iPhone anyday!
Thats a good one. With its ancient OS and whole 256 of memory for apps. Oh and what a great media player the BB is…
I agree, the BlackBerry is far superior, that is unless you need 100 fart apps.
256MB of onboard memory is more then enough: I can store the last 6 months of e-mails, SMS, MMS, BlackBerry Messenger, and GoogleTalk messages have lots of apps without any memory issues.
The media player is great on the BlackBerry: it indexes all artists and songs so you can instantly find what ever song/artist your looking for. I much rather have that then have to swipe my hand back and forth…
I will say Picture viewing on the iPhone/Touch rocks, that is the only thing I envy…
Terry, don’t forget the 2002-era web browser.
Don’t forget the beauty of the BlackBerry’s interface…
hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
the blackberry is a joke, get a real phone and you’ll never go back
Of course, if you’re using Google Voice, you don’t need Apple/AT&T’s visual voicemail.
we each have our tipping point but apple is leaving no stone unturned in it’s efforts to alienate it’s most loyal constituencies!
the insanity at the AppStore has had me sittIng on the fence – and obviously the googlevoice debacle was it for mike …
But for me the tipping point is the incredible situation unfolding in china – which will do profound damage to the integrity of the apple brand, as well as inflict high costs on users who are saddled with incomatible devices:
a) wifi: as was long speculated, apple has caved to the chinese government (MIIT) demands to enforce censorship by eliminating the possibility of independent wireless networks.
This craven capitulatio to tge diktats of a police state is a fundemental repudiation of every principle that apple has stood for as a bastion of “think different” and “the power to be your best” and “here’s to the geniuses” – not to mention the famous “1984″ advert ATTACKING big brother!
so low, so low
b) contrary to the speculation, apple is custom building a wcdma radio just for the Chinese market (pix with the regulator logos appeared yesterday, including confirmation from the Chinese equivelant of the FCC).
This incomptability means that the 3GS I was Bout to buy for near $1000 with taxes would not be comptible with the official Chinese carrier (unicom); and equally the $500+++ for the Chinese version will not be compatible outside of china.
So I am stuck buying $1500-2000 of gear to function (on 3G data) inside & outside of china!
This hodge-podge is exactly the sort of chaos that apple is supposed to inure me against by virtue of maintaining a uniform customer experience (at expence of the stupid dinosaur carriers!).
Bottom line: apple has failed at both key aspects of it’s brand: moral integrity & ease-of-use.
Clearly apple has simply Lost It …
as another poster says below: apple has my money (for now) but not my love.
And the day will come – with the horrendous state of QA in hardware & software – when apple will actually need the goodwill of its customers & developers but will be shocked to find that it has exhausted evey ounze of forebearance.
he who lives by the sword ….
^ … wow. Nailed it on the head.
@zahadum…you obviously dont know what wcdma really is.
“While not an evolutionary upgrade on the airside, it uses the same core network as the 2G GSM networks deployed worldwide, allowing dual-mode operation along with GSM/EDGE; a feat it shares with other members of the UMTS family.”
its just another 3G format based on GSM you tool. you CAN use the same chinese iphone in the rest of the world. WCDMA is NOT the same as EV-DO CDMA. learn ur facts before jumping on a company for something u just learned in a drive-by-blog….
the google voice app has visual voicemail
T-Mobile has a visual voicemail mail app for Android too.
you dont have to add the blackberry plan for internet, just the normal data plan which is a lot cheaper.
oh and yes this google voice thing is waaaay overblown. im not giving up all the other features of the iphone over this stupid google voice app. anyone upset over this needs to go call the whhaaaambulance.
Except changing carriers and thinking you’re bringing your iphone with you doesn’t answer the issue of GV. As it is Apple who is not allowing GV in the app store, and likely has very little to do with AT&T.
Lots of people seem to be skipping over the fact that GV on iPhone isn’t available internationally, so it isn’t just an AT&T issue.
Dude, Google voice not available on the iPhone internationally? GV is not available internationally, period – only in the U.S. It has nothing to do with the iPhone app.
Right? It’s funny as hell to see people whine about ATT, then say they’re quitting the iphone.. everybody in this area dumped ATT after weeks of having the iphone.. the iphone was their first att experience.. but you won’t have any dropped calls on an iphone on tmobile.. OR, be an uber geek like me and run a HTC mogul on sprint, run pdanet, and use your ipod touch to surf/do all those awesome iphone only things. (like surf the web as only an iphone can..) What kind of schmuck puts up with crappy cell for service for 2 years for the sake of a device..
i can walk u through the switch to t-mobile in 2 minutes flat. including unlock, jailbreak, and customize. (i am also a bit of a pirate, if ya know what i mean? arrr) anywho, GVmobile just came out in Cydia (thats jailbreak talk for “appstore”) and it does the same thing google voice did. just go pick up some redsn0w and then eat yellowsn0w or ultrasn0w depending on ur flavor and then have a pink t-mobile day!
Wow. Thats a pretty pathetic reason to drop a great piece of technology, because of one stupid app.
Just jailbreak it and install the full version from Cydia, and your problem is over.
Plus, you cant blame apple/at&t for not allowing a competing product that could hurt sales. In the end, they are both businesses, and do what they have to for revenue, not for what makes the Apple fanboy blogger happy.
The only sales that would suffer would be texting & international calls. Texting & international calls on mobile devices have always been ridiculously priced.
“Plus, you cant blame apple/at&t for not allowing a competing product that could hurt sales”
I’ll bet you take the same stand when people rail on Miscrosoft. Not!
Apple and AT&T are “forcing” you to switch? Hardly.
You are being presented with a CHOICE to make … because of your preferences not theirs.
This is what competition and business are all about. As an educated consumer you’re forced to make a choice. You may not like it, but you have choices.
Telling Apple to make available a competitive application IN THEIR STORE is like telling Starbucks they should allow Folgers to advertise in its stores.
Ultimately as a storekeeper you determine what to put into your store to grow ( and protect ) your business. Your customer always has a choice of whether to buy from you or not, but as a business owner you have your rights too.
‘telling Starbucks they should allow Folgers to advertise in its stores’ oh Yeah!. Then why the whole world is against Microsoft and ask them to bundle Firefox and Safari and other browsers!!
Apple and AT&T are rip offs. If the same yardstick of microsoft is used to Apple i doubt they can survive!
umm.. isn’t that the point? at&t/apple made the choice not to allow GV mobile because they thought it would hurt their bottom line. a customer makes the choice to switch carriers and write about it.
if enough customers make that choice, at&t/apple will end up losing more than they would have by allowing the app. not to mention the loyalty lost. so telling apple to allow an app IN THEIR STORE makes perfect sense: provide the service i want or lose me as a customer.
personally, i was considering dropping the iphone before GV mobile ever came out, just because at&t is so horrible. not allowing google voice sealed the deal for me – no more iphone or at&t.
Firelite: Because Microsoft is a convicted criminal.
Agreed with… nope.
well i do like my phone and have unlimited text so dont miss the google voice that much
i do hate having to log on to safari to use it but ill live.
but i will prob jailbreak in the future ill know better … and ill take my damn iphone with me ATT just wait and see!
and well… apple you still rock my socks, just because linux is not up to par yet (and you need to code a bit) and windows… idk i just cant go back
i agree. if you were the phone business and someone was trying to give you free minutes, you’d do the same. but if apple goes this route, they should get rid of all those “free” texting apps, too.
you can also pretty much turn any webapp into an app on your iphone. just get a full screen browser like “Quicky” and set that page as the homepage and viola! You got yourself an app.
except it won’t be native (browser) and you pretty much can’t do anything when its running.
I think the point is you shouldn’t have to jailbreak it just to make the device usable.
Google Voice is the only thing that makes the iPhone usable?
I use an iPhone, and frankly am very interested in Google Voice. I don’t need the contact options that many do, and have even thought about using an iPod touch as my “phone.” Drucker was right. People do not see innovation even when it slaps them in the face.
As a developer on the iPhone side, I am additionally frustrated by the application process. My love for Apple is certainly long gone, though I do respect the products.
Yeah, I feel like this story is getting pretty overblown. Hardly anyone even uses Google Voice at this point, isn’t it still a closed beta? And you’re going to flush $175 down the toilet (not to mention the $800 you paid for two iPhones) to cancel your AT&T account because you might want to try this service someday, when they have fixed all of the problems that you already know you can’t live with in its current state? No sympathy here, my friend.
FOR REAL.
Arrington is just a sheep, following the most current news story and making a big deal out of it.
“OMG OMG look everyone is mad at apple LOOK AT ME I AM SO ELITE I’m giving up on the iPhone too LOOK AT MY BLOG NEWS SITE”
well… when you are the list of Times Magazine Most Influential People in the World and you are a technology blogger then I would say the type of electronic device that he uses to center his mobile life around probably does matter.
Time also thought Second Life was The Big Thing back in in 2006.
You mean the list that was controlled by 4chan with a vote-bot?
Amen! Of course it does! Mac Fanatics… they don’t know when it even when it slaps them straight up!
+1
Time magazine keeps putting Obama on the cover too!
Pretty much, he’s worst than most girls I know, maybe it’s that time of the month for him
I agree, stupid reason for an overblown post, spending $175 for one app still in beta. Who cares.
You, obviously, or you wouldn’t have bothered commenting.
It’s not the app, it’s the absolute crap network it’s on. AT&T is the reason two out of three potential switchers won’t touch the Jesus phone.
So I imagine you wouldn’t mind if MS blocked you from installing any other browser since it would compete with features already included?
+1
It is not about the Google Voice app alone. It is more to do with their general mindset of dominating by playing cheap and playing God and deciding which apps to retain and which ones to throw.
DARPA was never bound to become mainstream. Internet as we know it today is existing because Microsoft or some other BS company did not decided on what web pages it is going to allow and what it would not.
Somehow reminds me of those little kids who refuse to lend go of their trinkets to others and dont even know why they dont want to.
yea but the app store is not an open source development for people to throw their two cents in and help it become a better environment.
its a store. similar to a brick and mortar.
why do people think they have the RIGHT to be in the store and that apple is messing up by not just letting everything stupid app on there without a vetting process? thats ridiculous.
should best buy allow kiosks that show you how to purchase the same items in the store elsewhere online and price comparisons? dont u think that would confuse customers?
if you were a google voice user and mistakenly let someone use your phone, they dont use the gvoice app but dial out directly from ur dialer and release ur private number out there, or you cant remember which app u used to make a phone call and cant find the call log or voicemail for it…there are definitely scenarios for confusion.
MS got bashed because the bundled IE and made it seem like there was no other option. hell it was called the internet explorer.
you’re asking them to allow a 2nd dialer onto the phone. just use the damn webapp. its slow and buggy but so is the whole gvoice system.
and to @zahadum…you obviously dont know what wcdma really is.
“While not an evolutionary upgrade on the airside, it uses the same core network as the 2G GSM networks deployed worldwide, allowing dual-mode operation along with GSM/EDGE; a feat it shares with other members of the UMTS family.”
its just another 3G format based on GSM you tool. you CAN use the same chinese iphone in the rest of the world. WCDMA is NOT the same as EV-DO CDMA. learn ur facts before jumping on a company for something u just learned in a drive-by-blog….
“And Apple, if you ever decide to put the hammer down on AT&T, ”
sounds like your quitting ATandT not Appl?
who is the dominating who?
i say we all ban together an name port Steeves first name to Blow.
+1 lol BLow.
This is great, exactly what I was hoping should happen. More people getting pissed off with Apple/AT&T and moving (or planning to move) to other carriers. This is indeed great for the industry. Read more on why you would thank Apple for blocking GV http://truvoipb...ce-app-opinion/
Why is that great? because the other carriers treat their customers so much better?
My carrier T-mobile does. After being a loyal customer for 3 years (2 year on contract +1 year without contract) they automatically upgraded my family plan to unlimited everything and didn’t ask for a contract. And the cool thing is i never dropped a call on T-mobile in the last 3 years. And once upon a time i was AT&T customer!
I’m a Sprint Premier Customer. I can upgrade my phone every 12 months for the new contract price.
Hey, you should get HTC Diamond2 or Touch Pro2
windows mobile? really?
“I Quit the iPhone”
So what… this is whats gonna happen. A bunch of people will post everywhere that they are quitting iphone, apple may or may not even consider these, but most probably wont, and will release something new and similar to GVoice and everyone will come running back saying how great it is. Reality is diffult to acknowledge before hand, but none can deny that….
You state “Google has a solution for that too, though. They are releasing apps for a variety of handsets that effectively take over the native dialer, address book and call log. Problem solved. I can use any phone I like, or a bunch of phones, and just choose the one that makes sense at any time. I never have to be tied to a carrier and their restrictive contracts again.”
But aren’t you just changing the problem? What you are in effect doing is–instead of tying yourself to carrier–tying yourself to a phone that has a Google Voice app? Further, you’re also tying yourself to Google Voice aren’t you? Setting the obvious privacy issues aside for now (red flag goes here), from what I’ve read of the terms of service from Google Voice, once you switch your number, you can’t go back.
I currently have a Google Voice account, again aside from the transcribing issues I’ve repeatedly experienced, in general, it’s only half baked so far.
Please take your bitchy complaints to BitchCrunch
How long do they archive who you call, who calls you, etc. Will they use this to target ads, sell call data to ad agencies, credit bureaus, etc. Yes, your credit is scored by who you call, who calls you, by SS#. Look it up.
1st world problems
thats the only smart thing I have ever heard you say mike ;p
This is a clarion call for change! Apple you need to do something about your app approval process. This has gone on for too long.Stop giving us a reason to hate you
All the World needs now:
A device that has an open-sourced operating system (with a 100% open app store).
Freedom will prevail.
(And no, I don’t want to hear about data hoover Google’s Android.)
Yes, and any form of government should dissolve so complete anarchy would prevail, nothing would be illegal and the world would be a better place.
You’ve solved it my friend.
well… maybe not complete anarchy but a decentralized local government model may work better than the status quo. or not.
One word: Nokia
Have they started making capacitive screens yet, like, oh you know, the rest of the industry?
Have you got good reason why they should?
660 comments down the line and this is THE ONLY comment that includes the word Nokia??
what is that? now even M. Arrington writes iphone posts? this is getting ridiculous.
btw if people were so annoyed by Apple’s opaque policies, it would be dead years ago. Get over it people, you like that grey bearded dictator too much to quit him.
check this story from 2005 about Google becoming a wireless telco.
http://www.sili...google_up_1.php
today there’s no question that with GV, Android and Clearwire…this is their ambition
Only two major profiles ditching the platform! Not like there is a significant readership who searches for opinions before making a purchase… Cough.
Making a move like this would strangely feel like dumping a really really hot girlfriend who is just too much mental trouble. You know..bro’s before ho’s. I’m proud of you.
ha. that’s pretty good.
Dude, you are soo spot on!
LOL that *is* good
yes, sort of well put.
Google Fanboy!
Most people are!
really?
That is a good line, but when they fix this or when you just jailbreak your phone, you’ll be saying, “I wish I knew how to quit you, brokescreen iphone.”
More like dumping a really hot, nice, smart girlfriend who won’t do A. So you end up with the ugly girl down the street who has no standards but you don’t want do hang out with otherwise. You really need you gf to degrade herself to make you happy?
Maybe they were wrong to deny it but Apple is protecting it’s interests on this one. And I don’t buy the false anger. Developers know when they are challenging Apple/ATT territory and there is a risk of denial. Has nothing to do with nearly any other app.
This is all hype for the competing platform and you are playing right into it.
it’s more like dumping the hot, nice, smart girlfriend not because SHE won’t do something, but because her parents won’t unlock the chastity belt and keep her on a strict curfew.
Roz: you’ve got it back-asswards, as it were
it is usually the middling girl – plain but not actually ugly, unclever but not dim, etc – who is the one who rationalizes her own frigidity by /imaging/ that hot pretty nice girls don’t degrade themselves by doing A.
In point of fact, the more a girl is such, the more a girl wants such!
Pls stop trying to sidetrack a perfectly apt (and accurate) analogy by injecting your own passive aggressive neuroses where they don’t belong (ie stop trying to camoflage your issues under the colour/banner of the other girls — this violates one of your sacred PC principles: “appropriating voice”. Ha!)
This issue is precisely about AT&T being inconsistent (offending apps ate allowed on other devices!) and it is also about apple unreasonably interfering with the functions on a native app that are allowed on a web app!
so yes, if the girlfriend is frigid then many will question whether the grief is worth it! And rightly so!
cunt
That’s fantastic
As far as dropping the iPhone goes though, sorry I’m ho’s before bro’s.
That’s just wrong. Please turn in your man card.
LOL! Now that really cracked me up!!!
Good one.
It’s… it’s… UNBELIEVABLE !!!
This is what Apple exactly is: “really really hot girlfriend who is just too much mental trouble”
wow, misogynists like iphones too.
m: totally agree. lots of misogynism in the recent set of comments.
“ho’s before bro’s”?!
come on now … are we all still 12 years old?
get a grip. and it’s “bros before hos” not the other way around. and most men get progressively less mature as they age and begin to care less and less what other people think.
Geeks don’t have really hot girlfriends…or boyfriends.
FAIL.
It’s a pretty good point, but you ruined it with the apostrophes.
More like dumping a hot girl who is awesome 90% of the time but is vegetarian and won’t go with you to a steak house. Deal breaker?
Really Mike? I use Google voice also, but probably not as heavily as you. That said, I might see how this can “break the camel’s back”.
There would be a lot more than just the lack of Google Voice I would miss if I switched. I am curious what your experience will be when you’ve transitioned to your new phone. When is this “effective”?
as soon as I port the number over to Google, hopefully next week. Already have the android phone.
Well there ya go I guess. You made sure you were committed by having the new phone in hand before posting this. Will you be documenting the “withdrawal” period? Keep us informed.
i will. every ridiculous detail.
Can I have your iPhone?
my iphone 3G? it’s a cracked screen. maybe I’ll fix it and auction it off for charity or something. it has “TechCrunch” laser engraved on the back. I’m sure i can get at least $5 for it…
you drive a hard bargain. i will give you $8.
can i buy it for $9 and pretend i ‘m michael arrington?
Actually, I sort of would like to hear your chronicles with Android. Maybe you can blog that elsewhere?
yeah i would like to hear about your experiences with android as well
If you leave your contacts in the phone, ill give you any price!
Be sure to tell us how slow it is and how there is no decent software for it. Plus how great T-Mobiles data network is.
Hey Mike … think you can find your solution in electropop music (french touch) :
Buy it, use it, break it, fix it,
Trash it, change it, melt – upgrade it,
Charge it, pawn it, zoom it, press it,
Snap it, work it, quick – erase it,
Write it, cut it, paste it, save it,
Load it, check it, quick – rewrite it,
Plug it, play it, burn it, rip it,
Drag and drop it, zip – unzip it,
Lock it, fill it, curl it, find it,
View it, coat it, jam – UNLOCK it,
Surf it, scroll it, pose it, click it,
Cross it, crack it, twitch – JAILBREAK it,
Name it, rate it, tune it, print it,
Scan it, send it, fax – rename it,
Touch it, bring it, obey it, watch it,
Turn it, leave it, stop – format it.
That’s my iPhone ringtone! And this story basically translates as:
I’m cooler than you because I had an iPhone first. I’m cooler than you because I know when to quit and I’ve suddenly decided to take a stand against the huge corporate machine that is Apple when it won’t let another huge corporate machine known as Google play with it.
*Arrington looks over shoulder and hopes people follow*
Get over it. It’s not as if no-one has ever jailbroken the iPhone before to get things they couldn’t/wouldn’t offer. And if you’re patient Apple will probably allow some form of this eventually.
Technologic
with you 100% Google Voice fiasco was the deal breaker for me as well
I don’t think it is Apple deciding. I worked for a major wireless vendors for years watching the wireless carriers controlling what goes into handsets.
They do not want to be just a pipe.
Is porting becoming widely available next week or are you getting the “inside deal?” I’ve had a GV/Grandcentral account for over 2 years and am anxiously waiting to port my cell, use Android.
Wow, Michael Arrington gives up on the iPhone. I wonder how many high profile users it will take for Apple and AT&T to realize what a massive mistake they’ve made. I, myself, have never and will never own an iPhone for reasons just like those states in this article. It appears that the Apple dominance over the wireless cell phone market may be faltering!!! Hallelujah!
None, “high profile” users are not giving them any more money than “low profile” users.
It’s about influence, not direct cash. Mike reaches X number of users that may or may not follow him off the cliff. More “Mikes” equal real problems for Apple. It could be said that “Mike’s” adoption of the iPhone (and those in the public eye like him) are responsible for the iPhone’s popularity.
Don’t fool yourself. Like I said above, I have a GV account and work as a developer (point being, around a lot of techies). MOST if not ALL of these guys either don’t know or care that much (since it’s still new I guess?) about GV. I don’t think this hurts there base that much or at all.
On the other hand, not only are these guys buying iPhone now (I was one of the first that I know of), but the general population (guys I know that are not techies) are picking up the iPhone in droves.
I really don’t think this hurts them, again, based on the fact that GV is not well established at this point (though this may change in long term).
Also, this guy has a big ego to write a article just on the fact that he is dropping the iPhone and the reasons why–who cares–and more, seems like propaganda to me.
Just my 2 cents -
Every great Blogger should write such an article, lets put presure on apple
looks like “piggy in the middle” won out.
Sensationalist post! You’ll be back
probably. but i feel better now that i’ve said this.
My iPhone fits so naturally with my day-to-day, I couldn’t imagine using any other handset.
But we all feel better now that you’ve said this, and it’s important that you have. I’m one of the many who’ll have to put up with decisions like the Google Voice debacle because our voices won’t be as clearly heard as yours.
In case you’re asleep, this is making waves on twitter right now. #5 trending topic @ 16:54 GMT
well twitter is full of even bigger losers than arrington so what do you expect
Tantrum much?
Agreed. Apple’s double standards does irritate me too
It’s interesting to see a human being that doesn’t like “the iPhone”!
I twittered it multiple times, but this App Store tyranny is not acceptable. I use whatever app i want to use on my Windows Mobile phone (with multitask if i want to 
) and Microsoft doesn’t care. If they blocked an app such as Chrome or Safari on Windows, everyone would cry “Monopoly!”, but when Apple doesn’t let anyone use iTunes, it’s OK?
Near 100% of the World population would have no idea what you are talking about. Think about it some day before using the term ‘human being’. Human beings as species probably consider your SV pack to be a bunch of cockroaches under the wardrobe.
What? Is it just me or did that not make any sense whatsoever?
It’s just you.
Yep, definitely just you.
Just people arguing about the efficacy of hipster backlash. Nothing to see here.
+1. Apple are acting just like a predatory monopoly, and have done for years. They’re far, *far* worse than Micros~1, by a long way.
“Micros~1″ – new moniker I’ve never seen before and its just the right number of characters, eight!
On topic comment. For the first time I’m thinking of not getting an update for my 1st gen iPhone that I ‘upgraded’ to 8gb ( 1st gen too via craigs~1 ) about 4 months ago so AT&T says I’m not eligible for any upgrades. Wary of Apple.
Mike. CrunchPhone?
oh god.
Just because you have a hard-on for Apple stuff does not make them a predatory monopoly. You obviously don’t know much about the history of Microsoft buying up promising startups just to kill them, OEM extortion and other leverage against market players. *Hint* Bundling IE is not what made Microsoft evil.
I agree that Apple’s app store BS is pretty stinky and I hope they take a big hit because of it, but you can’t be a predatory monopoly unless you have a monopoly, which Apple does not have on anything except their own products.
Excellent decision.
Android equals the freedom to pick between an ever growing number of phones and to reap the benefits of an open source platform.
Also the powerful combination of Android, Google apps and Google Wave is proving to be very useful for new ways to collaborate, which Apple cannot offer.
“Android equals the freedom to pick between an ever growing number of phones and to reap the benefits of an open source platform.”
You can pick between a ever grown number of phones and reap the benefits with or without Android as far as I know, no? Or does the existence of Android make this all possible somehow?
What benefits does one get from Android related to it being a “open” (somewhat) source platform?
“Also the powerful combination of Android, Google apps and Google Wave is proving to be very useful for new ways to collaborate, which Apple cannot offer.”
I agreed Google Apps is useful (I use it often). But the claim that Google Wave is both useful and proven are untrue at this point (because it’s unreleased at this point as far as I know). And finally you state that Apple “cannot offer” tools like these, but I think what you meant to say was they “do not” currently offer them right?
“Android equals the freedom to pick between an ever growing number of phones and to reap the benefits of an open source platform.”
Actually Android equals an rather poor design process, and I think you’re unsure of what open source will really give you (and Google).
Aaron outlined how wrong you are in regards to Apple’s ability to offer ‘new ways to collaborate’.
Freakin hilarious.
Linux lets you reap the benefits of an open source platform too, and after more than a decade its desktop market penetration is, what, one percent?
Repeat after me: open source is not a panacea.
apple has been forcing people to do things their way for years and years.
I don’t get how GV is different now and what all the fuss is about in the blogosphere.
oh well…I never did really got apple buyer rationale to begin with (but just accepted it) – so why start now
“apple has been forcing people to do things their way for years and years” Sorry, but don’t all the companies to this to some extent (including Google)?
“I don’t get how GV is different now and what all the fuss is about in the blogosphere.” I’m not quite sure what you mean by this, but on the face of it, I’m not sure what the big fuss is about either. But If I had to guess, I think it’s because Google has a lot of pull in the industry and tools/utilities people want to use. People are picking sides when these companies clash.
“I never did really got apple buyer rationale to begin with”, I think this just a result of good design and software.
please dear god. dont switch to sprint. I have had more freaking trouble with the phone. I am not saying its bad. it is truly the greatest smartphone ever. bu sprint is not the place to be…
yes, sprint is terrible. but, as the old saying goes, they’re the worst, except for all the rest.
I have both iPhone (AT&T) which I use mostly as web browser and Sprint’s LG Musiq (2 year old) which I use to make calls. My 2-year Sprint phone does not drop calls in downtown SF. AT&T sucks. My next phone is going to be Android. Really soon.
I really appreciate your words and I agree with almost anything you write. Anyway I think that your decision (and this post) is deeply influenced by the arrive of the new Apple Tablet that will collide with TechCrunch Tablet.
“(and this post) is deeply influenced by the arrive of the new Apple Tablet that will collide with TechCrunch Tablet.”
no. not at all. I’m extremely bullish on the Apple Tablet, and I’ll likely buy a bevy of them for myself and family. I’m sooo happy the industry is moving in this direction. sincerely. read some of my posts on it.
Thank you for the answer. Maybe I’ve been a too suspicous…
Mr. Arrington,
Saw an article on the CrunchPad today. Though I’m sure this project’s software is already long into its final stages of development, I would like to urge you to reconsider your OS choice, whatever it may be, and start over with Android.
Remember Motorola, Sir? Remember what doomed that company? It’s terrible software! And now we see even Motorola is moving to Android (which we all knew was coming).
Mr. Arrington, your tablet will be a success, as I’m sure there are others who are as fed up with Apple as I am, who would HONESTLY be interested in buying the CP over a NON-GOOGLE-VOICE-compatible iTablet, with one caveat — please sir, make your CrunchPad run on Android (or gosh perhaps even Google’s top-secret forthcoming OS).
Sincerely,
iPhone user, who now has to jailbreak his iPhone, because Apple employees are a bunch of wacko control-freaks
@ Raffaele
Your statement “I think that your decision (and this post) is deeply influenced by the arrive of the new Apple Tablet that will collide with TechCrunch Tablet.”, I think could be true. Before I read this, I was thinking the same thing. This guy works for the company that is coming out with a competing product soon. Seems like a conflict of interest to me.
Funny, since I’m getting the new iPhone 3GS today. Which, by the way, in Belgium isn’t tied to one carrier (not that there are any great choices, but it’s a big plus to be able to switch). I’m quite satisfied with both the phone and the network here, and Skype for iPhone basically covers my needs plenty.
Do I think it stinks that Apple doesn’t want Google Voice in the App Store? Most definitely, but it doesn’t bother me enough to give up that insanely great phone just yet.
“insanely great” are you quoting Steve Jobs there?
If I was, it was completely unintentional. Oh, and one more thing, it’s an amazing phone.
yes, I have three. love them. hate AT&T, which you don’t have to deal with. so I think you’re all set.
I really just don’t see the denial of Google Voice being a deal breaker for the iPhone. If it means that much then jailbreak it.
I have a lot of complaints about AT&T and their crappy service and restrictions – where’s the MMS? oh, two more weeks. I have had the first gen, 3G, and now the 3GS and in between that time I have also switched to the Verizon Storm and Palm Pre. Neither of these phones could replace the iPhone which forced me to go back to AT&T and activate a new account.
Good luck with Android, that’s one phone I haven’t had the chance to try out yet.
Ah, you should all quit iPhone!!!
Together! TechCrunch Writers! Make a stand!
You’ll get traffic, and maybe, just maybe, then I don’t have to.
Yo Robin. Actually mental problem is with michael, not apple. Both goog and apple “forcing me to do things their way” companies.
And 3GS is complete package with vid rec. Michael will have ipod touch cam coming next month for his office use. And there wont be better phone for next 2 years.
Hey Robin, can you come in my office for a sec? We need to have a chat.
Driving to the airport right now, will be there in 15 hours or so. Please don’t fire me.
Hahaha
I’m in a similar spot to Robin although I picked up my phone (3Gs) a month ago out of a need for speed.
There are many great features of the iPhone. None of those are related to open design or customer choice. From top to bottom, app store developer censorship to locking in an OS and a telecom provider, it’s a Closed architecture.
I’ve gone on for posts about open vs closed design systems and it comes down to user freedom and choice. If I purchase any product I expect to be able to use it a I see fit.
Is there another option Mike? Can we nuke the iPhone OS and slap on android and swap carriers with a card swap?
I am both happy with Robin’s comment (because I love my iPhone) and what Mike has to say when he sits you down in his office.
I and sad/glad to say that I am hooked on all that is the iPhone… not AT&T.
Ha.
Hey Robin, can I get a Belgium 3GS to work in the UK do you think? Would be handy to have a non-tied handset
iPhones from Belgium and Italy work on every network in every country of the world. Using one from Italy myself and regulary flip prepaid cards depending on the current location.
Google Voice might be much better than flipping prepaid cards, but §$%&/()
Yep you can, as long as you pay the full price since they are not subsidised. They are wonderfully unlocked and easy to update. Best of both worlds. At a price though.
Mike, I’m using an unlocked 3GS that I picked up in the US and unlocked in the UK on (currently) the Orange network.
Got unlimited Data, MMS, SMS & calls for 1/3rd what O2 wanted and because I got the phone in the US the handset was less than half the UK price. Unlocking & jail breaking took all of 20 minutes.
I previously did the same thing with the 1st gen and 3G and never had a problem with software updates re-locking the phone. Well worth doing.
i may be totally wrong but doesn’t the US version use totally different 3g bands? So you’re stuck on EDGE?
Been trying to decide which device to switch to now that my contract is up. Thing is I’m happy with Verizon’s service. But since they don’t have either the Pre or the iPhone looks like there’s a Blackberry in my future.
Sorry, how does this post relate to the Root? Seems like you are stating that you’re going to make the switch to the Pre or iPhone because of your current carrier. I have the 3GS and have a BB Bold for work, I can honestly say, the OS on the BB’s has a lot to be desired; It seems like a step back (way back) in time.
Well said Michael. The decision to not approve Google Voice was not smart on iPhone’s part. They will discover this in more ways than one, when GV gets bigger and better (esp with number portability).
Do you now know that it was Apple’s decision not to approve the GV app? Was this ATT or Apple? At any rate it did not get approved for whatever reason (know one really knows yet). As far as the decision not being “smart”, it’s really a hard call for anyone to make at this point, wouldn’t you agree? If this really was Apple’s decision, then I would guess they did it for a very good reason from their point of view (like a competing product or a defensive move of some sort)….
I can’t add anything of value other than to say WOW after reading the vast majority of your post especially the ones to do with the iPhone… All I can say is well done Apple fix your shit or things will slowly slip.
And now I know what Google Voice does – nice.
It is nice to see that “a need” is the thing that makes you quit iPhone and not just a the fact that Google Voice wasn’t allowed on iPhone.
Well, If one didn’t have a “need,” or a real desire, for features in Google Voice, it is doubtful that person would care AT&T and Apple took it away.
But I don’t think it is unreasonable to boycott a company because their business practices are onerous or irritating. I refuse to sign another AT&T (nee Cingular) contract because of prior experiences. And I’m not particularly interested in supporting Apple because of their wonton and poorly supported App Store approval practices, and obfuscation practices with iPod use on Linux.
Was reading an article about Apple yesterday where the journalist wrote:
“Apple you have my money but no longer my goodwill”
I think that’s becoming more and more true even amongst old school Apple fanboys.
Google Voice == US only. The rest of the world doesn’t care about you US based whiners. Give us all Google Voice and *then* we might care. Till then, STFU and be happy you have any kind of GV access.
If I were to, as you say, “STFU,” it would be very difficult for me to continue blogging. How about we compromise and just agree that you never come back here.
As an American ex-pat living in the UK, your comment, even with smiley, just lost me there.
Perhaps by following the iPhone so closely you’ve inadvertedly found yourself queued for the ‘Jump The Shark’ ride?
Not that madda’s comment is particularly eloquent but there is a good point hiding in his jealous remark: the tech hub-bub around iPhone is painfully AT&T/US-centric. Taking into consideration that all the excitement about mobile technology is really about enabling people anywhere to work and play together, it would be wise to consider such developments from a more worldly perspective. And with that, I expect you might not find much utility in the Pre in the long run either but should instead remain focused on Android. For all its warts – and piss-poor UXD – it will be very powerful by virture of being everywhere on everything and available as a base standard of communication to everyone.
Please go read TC Europe and STFU. Bon Jour.
Says Viachaya…
What else matters. Who cares what the Euros get and when you get it. Its all about AMERICAH BABY
sigh.
This thread=fail
I love it when you smack down dumb commenters. It reminds me of when my favorite basketball player, Ron Artest, would jump out into crowds to regulate unruly fans.
Amen!
LOL
HAHAHAHA PWN’d By Arrington
Mike, I reached the same decision last week. The thing im waiting for is my contract to expire (12 more painful months)…..or the Sony Erickson “rachael” to release on a GSM network.
Honestly my problem is with the combination of Apple and AT&T. Neither company bothers me enough to leave both the phone and network behind…but at least one MUST go.
Wish i was a rich blogger and could just throw away money on ETFs.
Wow, so you’re whiney and have poor business decisions.. You never tell a customer to not come back due to their complaints lest you may enjoy no customers coming in at all as they all have a right to complain.
My first visit and my last, enjoy your stupid choice in phones, moron. Everyone jumping on this hate bandwagon of GV are HUGELY in the minority and look VERY silly in the grand scheme of things. Adios, glad you aren’t part of the iPhone userbase anymore with your egotistical “my take on it means everything” attitude. Get over yourself for one second maybe.
Right, Mike sucks at business decisions – that’s why he owns a hugely successful blog network. Care to share with us what company you own?! We’d love to learn how to make business decisions from you.
Can’t you read? He said this was his first and last visit – why are you replying to him?
Google Voice is not relevant to anyone except the US residents amongst us. As such, Google Voice is not something to I’d be making giant tech altering decisions about. And – to be fair to the OP, Madda is correct in so much as you do sound like a spoilt brat.
Google Voice isn’t in the UK yet, so it’s not a decision I have to face yet. Disagree with Apple’s stance on GV.
The Palm pre has an unofficial GV app though: http://d0lph1nk...evoice/#more-41
Yep, that’s what I was planning. Palm Pre with Google Voice… awesome!
I’ve been considering the same move. While the Pre might be the next best device, I’m thinking Android will be the most flexible robust OS with the most growth potential. Apple simply can’t control everything related to the computing experience, they have failed because of that before. AT&T has weak coverage and is lucky they have the IPhone, so they shouldn’t be so bold either. What would be nice is to opt out of a voice plan and AT&T could charge 0 for voice with a higher data rate charge. Then we could all choose our VOIP provider. But I’m sure no carrier would like this. Anyways, I may be jumping as well.
Jailbreak the sucker – then use whatever apps you like.
Oh, please.
damnit, i thought we banned Canadian IPs. how did you get on here?
I’ll get on the Canadian IP’s thing tomorrow.
Why was it banned?
Yes, ban everyone that disagrees, great emotional decision again. Are you female?
Really? Do you really think Google Voice is worth the price? I mean its cool, but its not like the most unbelievable product ever. Its a Vonage like service for your cellphone, wow!
I frankly could care less about Apple’s and/or AT&T ’s denial of the app. The iphone 3GS is the best smartphone on the market with the most complete and innovative apps – hands down.
Everyone whining about the denial, will soon begin a new whining process on your new carrier and or new phone.
and the cycle will continue.
Indeed it will, but it’s not the only cycle to take note of with Google’s release of the redesigned Grandcentral service into the wild and Apple/AT&T’s response. It wasn’t all that long ago in our evolutionary path that the internet became mainstream, but the majority of the populous signed on to the internet for the first time via Compuserve, Prodigy, and AOL. In many ways, these internet providers tried hard to maintain their walled gardens to help monetize as much of their userbase as possible, but it was not meant to last.
I can’t help feeling like this is a very familiar scenario to me. Cell phone providers trying very hard to maintain control over their walled gardens, but it is not meant to last because consumers will eventually insure that it doesn’t. And I’m betting Google knows this just as well as anyone.
I will make a counterpart that smacks of devil’s advocate, though. I’d read through a couple of other sites that were trying to cover this story as it broke, and a common theme arose. It may have been instigated by fanboyism as I don’t know if there’s any truth to it or not (this is the internet, after all), but they stated they’d heard from a reliable source that Apple had every intention of allowing GV in the iPhone and AT&T vetoed the decision in the 11th hour by flexing their contractual muscles. While the iPhone does have its faults and flaws, the blame for this particular issue seems like it should be layed entirely at the feet of AT&T in my opinion.
Something else that should be noted is that, so far, none of the other major players has enforced the same stance on GV, even though it circumvents additional sources of revenue and threatens to turn them into nothing more than a carrier. It’s worth pondering that and wondering why.
The utility of Google Voice is definitely worth the price of not using iPhone. Google Voice makes your communication tools so much more effective and granular. I’d say it is the best telephony product since voip. It really isn’t anything like Vonage, though it has a few Vonage like features (among many features.)
Yes the iPhone is very pretty and well integrated. But really what apps do you use that are indispensable. They seem like a bunch of games and a few things you can do on a mobile internet site. The only really cool app I have seen is for golf or disk golf scoring and noting. I’m sure there will be something similar on Android soon.
Can you block unwanted callers on your “most advanced smartphone ever”, Eric? Or record phone conversation? Or listen to music while browsing Internet? Your iPhone is a shiny toy for teens controlled by one evil company from Cupertino. I hate MacBook btw, the worst spent $1400 ever.
This whole Google Voice debacle is saddening to me, but these are inevitable side effects of entering into exclusive partnerships with large companies; there are bound to be a conflict of interests at one point or another. It’s times like that that I’m thankful for the jailbreaking community, which allowed Sean to post his GV app through other means. It’s not an ideal solution, but it is one that has driven much innovation in the past. Remember how Springboard copied exactly Summerboard’s multiple screen implementation? Sometimes, the best things come from a need to circumvent existing barriers. There’s a really great community of developers out there who are constantly experimenting with the possibilities of the iPhone. While I definitely agree that similar development will take place with the Pre community, I almost feel like we have become some sort of large family within the “iPhone underground,” and feel a sense of comeradery that I haven’t since the days od BBS’s and MUD’s, and for me, that’s difficult to leave behind. I love the iPhone from a hardware standpoint, and am eternally grateful that I’m not tied to AT&T, given what I’ve heard and read. I still love my phone, and haven’t lost faith in Apple as a company. Sometimes, a situation forces you to be the bad guy, and I feel for them in that sense. Unfortunately, I doubt that many people will agree with me, and many many others will discredit me as a fanboy. Unfortunately, there’s not much that I can do about that. I will upgrade to a 3GS, and rest assured, I will jailbreak it. This has nothing to do with a need to run illegal software or to hack the phone, but instead a desire to see unbridled iPhone development at its forefront, and an unwillingness to give up certain tools to which I have grown accustomed to- nay, dependent on (eg. sbsettings.. i don’t have an unlimited edge plan, and so am constantly enabling and disabling my edge radio)
p.s. Does anyone have a Google Voice invite that they wouldn’t mind sending my way? Please? =D
Dude, google voice “members” don’t have invites to give otherwise I would give you one!
Haha stick it to the man.
I rarely speak on the phone but this Google Voice drama is pretty annoying. Apple / AT&T are just protecting themselves because, obviously, Google Voice will lose them money.
Oh well.
Once Google puts a router on every tree and gives the world free Wi-fi then we can say goodbye to the cellnets.
Im half joking
Why not quit AT&T instead, and jailbreak your iPhone. A win-win, surely.
Otherwise this moves cuts smacks of face-spiting nose-cutting action.
that’s my eventual plan.
And it’s a great one.
If we jailbreak and they update we have to unjailbreak and update and rebreak it again? I’m terribly lazy when it comes to that sort of thing (time bankruptcy).
Careful! that might be illegal soon
Eventual? Do it now. Takes 15 minutes. Just do a backup, jailbreak, and restore your backup. Done.
So you can jailbreak, then un-jailbreak when the AT&T exclusivity runs out, or you move to Europe
As already commented, GV isn’t available in the UK yet so not an issue for me. If it was, and the service for me turned out as good as the many reviews say it is, I’d jailbreak the iPhone. Kind of surprised you didn’t go down that route.
Mike may just have enough clout to influence Apple on this Google Voice nonsense.
Who the fu*k is this guy mike? why should I care
some whinner quiting? Avg users couldn’t care less who he is what he does.
In Germany there is no Google Voice anyway. And I guess there never will be due to the regulator. So I do not bother about that and keep my iPhone.
I have been saying the exact same thing – this was the proverbial straw by Apple & AT&T, in a long line of BS that they’ve pulled. I, too, gave this rant to my co-workers, and am doing the same thing.
You see, it isn’t just about allowing us to use Google Voice – it’s about every bit of control they’re trying to exercise, from screwing developers out of distribution of their applications, to ridiculous charges for the iPhone service, to not having MMS or tethering capability when the rest of the world does, and even not allowing the majority of us upgrade to the 3Gs for cheap, only months after having purchased the 3G.
The list could go on and on, but I believe the point has been made. If Apple isn’t being evil by themselves, then they’re certainly allowing AT&T to push them around far too much. I hope they end up paying for it.
Apple is a business….they dont want products that would compete with major functionality..such as SMS and dialing..
why is it hard for people to not get that?
If you were in charge, you would do the same, instead of being on the high moral ground of “Gar, I WANT EVERYTHING OPEN AND FREE”.
Apple is a great innovator and sets the standards on what products should be in this day and age, and if they want to lock a few apps, so be it.
…says the guy with a jailbroken iphone and GV…
I have an HTC Hero here in the UK, have had it for a week and I love it. Android is the way forward.
I wonder what those people at Palm who decided to go with CDMA are thinking now. Are they fired already? The momentum starts to build, but nobody outside US can not switch to Pre…
Does anyone know how number portability would work with Google Voice? If I switched my number from AT&T to Google Voice when number portability is available, what happens?
Do I pay an early termination fee? What happens to using data on the 3G network? Do I keep my data plan with AT&T? Just rely on wifi?
Any ideas?
You still need a voice plan to use GV. SMS goes over data, but the basic way GV works is that it uses data to make the initial connection, then when it does and “calls you back” to connect it, you’re using your minutes.
Now if you have something like TMobiles myfavs, where you can add numbers to get unlimited to, then its fine.
When you xfer your number from ATT, your acccount will be suspended. You will not be able to use any services of ATT at this point. It’s the phone plan to get the 3g cellular network.
Any cellular company will charge you 30.00 for their 3g network plus a contracted cellular plan.
Does anyone know how to hack into these 3g network without a contract?
Android will win the race, its obvious. With no large vested commercial interest such as Apple have, while they are blocking apps left right and centre that will interfere with their ‘business plan’, Google will be letting them all roam wild on the Android Marketplace.
With a larger offering of handsets, overall cheaper costs, and no forced use of iTunes, Android will win in the long term.
Simples.
You mean in a similar way to how Microsoft has won the OS/PC wars with Apple. Yeah for sure, being open will drive market share higher for the open platform – Android, etc.
However, as we all know, being open and having the largest market share doesn’t drive the most innovative and best user experience, closed does.
As Jobs always says, there is nothing wrong with being Porshe or BMW.
Porsche is nearly bancrupt, their management got kicked and Volkswagen bought them. Volksporsche, anyone?
I don’t think so. Porsche makes the most profit per car of any automaker globally.
http://www.thet...ercent-or-more/
Which is awesome if you can cover your entrenched costs.
Woops.
That profit was a fluke—the result of derivatives, not building cars. How else could Porsche report profits of €8.5bn on sales of €7.4bn?
The news from Bertel Schmitt (via Automobilwoche) is: VW Swallows Porsche.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t think of many ways in which Windows is more open than Mac.
I’m inclinced to agree. Once HTC marry Android with Sense UI to proper hardware it’s, in the words of Private Hudson, “Game over, man!”.
Oh and +1000 points for the Meerkat reference.
You mean it will be even slower than it is now? That will be game over but not in the way you think. Plus no one will want o develop apps for all these Android hybrids.
Terry, I don’t know about you but ‘proper hardware’ means ‘better than their using just now’ in my book.
As for nobody developing for hybrids, I’m not sure what planet you live on but the native apps will work with Sense UI which is – as you might guess from the name – a UI and not the actual OS.
You probably want to lie down now as that might be a bit much for you to take in all at once.
Android will will the race because it is new, the new guy can bring in new ideas technology before the other players can respond. It’s because Google is the new kid on th block that it has a chance here. Given time, the other players will catch up.
http://gigaom.c...phone-break-up/
hadn’t seen this before.
added a link in the post.
I hope a mass exodus would be possible, the Apple might respond? Great hardware but it sucks not being the admin on it
You are a deluded fool. Mass exodus? One percent of one percent that use the iPhone actually have heard of google voice.
You people live in a cocoon.
Sticking to AT&T for iPhone would surely be a sucker otherwise, no matter what PR or commercial value the post has i find the logic convincing and supportive just like how an average user may think of it if given a choice (the one you elaborated i.e. number portability). Yep GV should open up sooner for all of us not in US
What bugs me is that I have a couple of iPod Touch’s that I would LOVE to use Google Voice with. I already have a small ‘thumbtack’ microphone and can use Skype via WiFi… why not Google Voice then?
Time to jailbreak the Touch!
It’s time Apple and the lame ass AT&T understand. We are not going to take more shit from them!!!!!!!!
Well said. Extremely correct. The point isn’t actually Google Voice, but the possibility of removing an app that it is actually meeting all the requests but it is against Carriers strategies. Not fair. One should know about this BEFORE buying the device.
And, .. I am an Apple user since 1984…
“but the possibility of removing an app that it is actually meeting all the requests but it is against Carriers strategies.”
You mean, bypassing the main means of income for the telco? God forbid they try and make some profit…
God forbid sending less than 1kb text messages would be included with a $30 a month data plan…
Don’t be a child, give AT&T the $5 they paid you to make that stupid comment.
Plus, the way Apple controls their App Store is illegal.
No its not. Its their store, they can do what they want…what are you, a reTARD (hangover reference)…
Wasn’t 1993 a great year when everyone else was playing Doom and you were collecting books in Myst?
For me it was so great that I decided I would never choose a stupid piece of fruit and its GD operating system over a revolutionary piece of software.
Does Google Voice work outside of the U.S.? I imagine needing your phone while traveling abroad. Will Google Voice be launched in Europe?
GV does work outside of the US. I was on T-Mo UMA (old BB Curve) using my hotel WiFi in Canada, and no problems using my GV number and SMS. I paid no roaming charges when I am at a hotspot
great move… but are google working on Voice for Mobile OS?
I dunno why you guys are making a big deal. We know iPhone users tax their telco to the max. They are the biggest data users. Also iPhone users take advantage of their phone and the apps. Compared to other phones, iPhone users downlaed these apps early and a large number of them start using it.
I bet the day Android and Pre people start using Google Voice to some scale, the telcos will not like it too. Forget this, then the telcos will not even allow wi-fi- like the China Unicom iPhone.
The last time I checked, China is not a free country.
You can’t limit people just because you can’t rape them for profit, there are laws against that.
The governments always sue Microsoft, I say it’s time they sue Apple and AT&T.
Apple: what goes around comes around. I think Google should withdraw Maps from the iPhone. Go on, it’d be fun.
You do know that Google did not develop Maps. Apple developed it in house using Google APIs, as revealed during a keynote speech? So, it’s an Apple app.
Or maybe you didnt know …
Well Google could revoke apple api key.
easy. slap that apple with dem ballz
Yeah because the only maps in existence are from Google. Not that mapquest runs on the iphone or anything…oh wait….
Are you kidding? Steve Jobs will burn a fuse
I don’t think Google would do that. The iPhone user-base is too damn big!
Makes sense. I’m holding off on getting an iPhone until it’s no longer on AT&T’s network. I’ve heard too many bad things about iPhone + AT&T.
I hope Apple wakes up soon and solves some of these issues (AT&T exclusivity, wonky App Store policies, etc.) surrounding the iPhone, because it’s a great device that, in theory, shouldn’t be held back by…anything.
I have no problems with AT&T and in the 15 years or so that I have been with them I have maybe had 10 dropped calls and that was early on. But that really has nothing to do with your so called hatred of the iPhone in your lead and headline. Just a way to get attention.
Yeah because Verizon is so consumer friendly…and T-Moible has great 3G coverage…and Sprint is a viable cell phone company…
Well said Mike! Cell phone cancellation fees are under litigation here in cali, they should at least prorate it for you.
This type of high profile public stance needs to be taken to bring about any change.
Apple is a million times worse then microsoft. Could you imagine if microsoft didn’t allow iTunes on windows, because it duplicated functionality in windows media player? Or didn’t allow Firefox, because it duplicated functionality of IE? They would be sued into oblivion, forced to change and probably break apart by the government.
But Apple, as always, continues along its path of doing things the way it wants. It only cares about developers when it helps its cause, god forbid they compete.
I too am picking up a myTouch this Wednesday.
Be strong Mike. Don’t switch back. Support the guys trying to do things right.
God I love techcrunch.
My god you’re an idiot.
And you’re rude. Go learn some manners.
Some people really are idiots. It’s hard to break that news in a polite manner. And yet sometimes it just has to be said. Take you for example, you’re probably an idiot as well. It’s only polite to inform you. Without our help you might open your mouth in a meeting at work, say something that is no doubt moronic, lose your job, your house, and put your family on the street. But now you’ll know. That moment before you speak, you’ll reflect and think, “oh that’s right, I’m an idiot”. If only Arrington would do that before he hit submit on his blog posts.
Apple is a million times worse than Microsoft? Wow really?? A million?? That just changes everything…
Well to his credit he almost wrote a “bagillion times worse” but finally settled on a million.
Apple is absolutely worse than Microsoft. People who blame AT&T are blind. This way of doing business has been the Apple way all along. Closed walled garden.
Yes, Mike, be strong you brave man.
Mike you’re so brave. So brave. Compared to you all those soldiers in Iraq, dissidents in Iran, volunteers fighting disease and genocide in Africa…all cowards. None of them would have the courage to….I’m sorry, I told myself I wouldn’t cry….the courage to switch to a different phone. My god. If only the rest of us had your courage, and the courage to blog about it only weeks after the violent crackdown on google voice apps started.
You should be proud. Look yourself in the mirror before you go to bed tonight with MG and say to yourself, “Today, I made a difference”.
Apple is million times better than Microsoft…
Don’t say that! MS is a lot better than Google itself, whatever Google is…. it’s coz of MS. There wouldn’t have been such huge penetration of computers if MS hadn’t release Windows.
Got myTouch Friday – nice!
Too bad Apple chose to limit the iPhone to the AT&T network. That probably is the principle reason myTouch will replace the iPhone in most choices of a smartphone.
I’ll still stick to an iPhone regardless…its the best phone here in the UK
The only visible drag is its touch screen keyboard.
What if Google would create the Google Voice app that works with jailbroken iPhones? Or are there other “gotchas” that would still prevent the app from working?
It already does. And its on Cydia. The developer uploaded it after it got pulled. Just do a search for “GV” and you’ll see it.
AND its the full version, not the LITE. I have it, works great.
You DO KNOW that you can always jailbreak your iphone 3g and then download google voice from cydia!! Thats what I did and I now have it on my iphone! Easy peasy japa-nesey!!!
I did that last night as well and it works great. Plus, I have spiced up the UI with a whole new look!
Exactly. I can understand why everyone’s upset, not necessarily because the app isn’t allowed…moreso because of Apple’s inconsistent policies (they seem to be okay with allowing other apps w/ similar functions). But at the same time, I can’t say that I would “quit” using it.
And just to be clear, I’m not an Apple fanboy…I’ve been with Verizon for 7 LONG years, but their phones are horrible…I even tried using a Blackberry recently, and as a last resort, I opted for the iPhone, knowing that I’ll have issues with AT&T too…basically, you’ll always find something you don’t like. But I also knew that for every feature AT&T claims to not yet support (i.e. tethering, MMS, etc.) and Apple chooses to not allow (i.e. Google Voice), you can find them, or similar applications, on Cydia.
So, yes, it’s OK to get ticked off by their decisions, but don’t be hasty and screw yourself over by paying an ETF, switching carriers and phones…I prefer to just smile, nod, and then do whatever the heck I feel like doing with my phone.