> AT&T already allows Google Voice on other phones.
I'm not too 'up' on the state of cellphones on AT&Ts network, but how many of these cellphones even give AT&T the ability to ban a specific app?
How many of these phones allow their owners to install apps from a 3rd party (i.e. an 'app store' is not the only source of software)? I'm not saying that AT&T is at fault here, but the argument that AT&T has other phones that they 'allow' to use Google Voice on, is a bit far from the truth (i.e. iPhone is one of the only phones that AT&T would have the ability to 'ban' an app on).
> They just can't imagine that their poor little underdog Apple would limit competition on their device.
That's not necessarily the case. There are a lot of people that are part of this 'discussion' (I'm not talking just the discussion on Hacker News) who hate both Apple and AT&T. Some people want to see this as proof that both companies are evil. Please don't get bend out of shape over the Apple apologists. Though they are loud, they are a minority.
> how many of these cellphones even give AT&T the ability to ban a specific app?
If AT&T wanted to block Google Voice, they could easily do it from the network level.
> iPhone is one of the only phones that AT&T would have the ability to 'ban' an app on
The assumption here is that AT&T some measure of control but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of that. Wasn't the entire deal with AT&T that Apple maintains all the control? That's why there isn't a T-mobile iPhone instead. We know of the contract stipulation from AT&T that requires Apple prevent high-traffic applications and VoIP but that seems to be it. Apple seems to more than willing to take all the responsibility -- why should anyone assume differently?
I'm not too 'up' on the state of cellphones on AT&Ts network, but how many of these cellphones even give AT&T the ability to ban a specific app?
How many of these phones allow their owners to install apps from a 3rd party (i.e. an 'app store' is not the only source of software)? I'm not saying that AT&T is at fault here, but the argument that AT&T has other phones that they 'allow' to use Google Voice on, is a bit far from the truth (i.e. iPhone is one of the only phones that AT&T would have the ability to 'ban' an app on).
> They just can't imagine that their poor little underdog Apple would limit competition on their device.
That's not necessarily the case. There are a lot of people that are part of this 'discussion' (I'm not talking just the discussion on Hacker News) who hate both Apple and AT&T. Some people want to see this as proof that both companies are evil. Please don't get bend out of shape over the Apple apologists. Though they are loud, they are a minority.