Google Finds Its Voice on App Store

Apple has finally approved the Google Voice app for the iPhone, which lets users make calls and send text messages using a Google Voice phone number. Google’s more than year-long journey to reach this point may have been helped by a gentle nudge from the Federal Communications Commission.

 Google submitted the app to the App Store in July 2009. After some dithering on Apple’s part, the FCC got involved, asking why it had not been approved. Apple’s response was that Google Voice duplicated services that were already available on the iPhone. However, Apple’s resistance may have been more tied to the growing rivalry between the companies and the specific concern that Google Voice could harm its partner, AT&T.

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