Digital Media Buzz > Google’s Hypocrisy Over Skype

Google’s Hypocrisy Over Skype

By Alan Smodic

The scandal over Google Voice and its rejection from the Apple iPhone is likely to continue getting attention in the coming weeks.

What seemed like a simple power move by Apple and its carrier, AT&T, weeks ago came to the forefront when the FCC began questioning all the parties involved. And comments from the companies were due Friday.

Initial upset reactions from Google were understandable. “We work hard to bring Google applications to a number of mobile platforms, including the iPhone,” says Sara Jew-Lim, a spokeswoman for the company.

But in a twist of fate, involving the Internet calling company Skype, Google has been forced to answer some of the same questions.

Google is under FCC scrutiny, along with Apple and AT&T, due to its Android-powered phones’ using Skype Lite over the traditional Skype program. When word on the issue broke, Google blamed the T-Mobile carrier, but T-Mobile says that wasn’t the case.

No matter how either case pans out, or what side you believe, the FCC rulings – and subsequent actions – could play a major role in changing the face of the mobile web and its full usage on more advanced handsets.

The first obvious problem with these types of applications is the question as to whether or not it should be considered undercutting the phone companies – AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, etc. There’s no disguising that it basically is. On the surface, the apps allow users to send free messages, make free calls and take advantage of significantly cheaper international calls.

Carriers, understandably, do not want this to happen. Phone and data plans bring in a tremendous amount of revenue for these providers. And any cut into that stream is not one that will be taken lightly. But will it succeed in cutting the newfound competition out? Time will tell, but a good bet would be no.

With the way the overall mobile phone businesses are constructed in the United States, carriers can delay the inevitable, but not ultimately stop it. However, the answers from the companies, as well as the FCC’s overall study, will provide solid ground to form a better understanding.

As the evolution in mobile phones has shown, advancements are sure to occur. When the app was deleted from the app store, Google already began churning out a mobile web-based app for its Google Voice to work its way around the problem.

“Apple did not approve the Google Voice application we submitted six weeks ago to the Apple App Store,” Jew-Lim said. “We will continue to work to bring our services to iPhone users – for example, by taking advantage of advances in mobile browsers.”

With that in mind, David Pogue (of Pogue’s Posts) posed this question:  “What’s Apple going to do now? Start blocking access to individual websites?”

It’s a legitimate, tongue-in-cheek question to ask, but things will probably never get that far. This will eventually serve as a simple roadblock in the process of getting handset makers, carriers and developers working together on a level playing field.

When that happens, users will forget about the past mistakes and the mobile world will be in much better hands. Or, well, at least a consumer can dream of better days.