[crescendo]

Apple is making a huge mistake here. I love my iPhone, but in the wake of this GV business, I find myself seriously considering a switch to an Android phone. I can't speak for everyone, but I'm sure I'm not the only iPhone fan out there who feels this way.

[bjplink]

How many people out there know someone with an Android phone? I personally don't know anyone but I run in a decidedly non-techie social circle.

I think we sometimes think our outrage over "huge mistakes" have something in common with the general population's attitude when that is most definitely not the case.

Issues like removing Google Voice apps to protect their core business won't cause enough of a mass exodus to competing phones to make Apple flinch because the majority of people interested in an iPhone don't give a damn or know what Google Voice is.

Full disclosure: I'm an extremely satisfied iPhone owner.

[ROFISH]

I agree. I think all theses articles are nonsense because I have yet to get a GV invite, and I have been waiting for one since it was GrandCentral. It's one thing for Apple to block a popular, well-known service (and I mean Facebook popular, not "I read TechCrunch daily popular"). It's another to block an admittedly beta service that isn't even public.

As sad as it may be, the general consuming public doesn't care, or maybe doesn't even know about the "plight of the developer" on the iPhone. The fact of the matter is that as long as people get their Facebook and fart apps, the general public is happy with their iPhone.

[anigbrowl]

I too have been wondering about the slowness of GV invites, but I finally got mine. And it is everything they said it would be. Of course, it's not perfect; text transcription of voicemail is pretty weak...but nevertheless, the tools for managing it (playback through your browser, with word highlighting as it plays back) are good enough for it to be useful.

Don't want to sound like I'm shilling for GV here, but it does feel like gmail for your phone. Although this might not switch many or any away from the iPhone, it's going to highlight the weakness of the walled garden approach, and put off potential new buyers (like me).

[dkokelley]

I actually just got my GV invite and set it up today. True story. Now I'm looking for a way to initiate calls from my GV number from the iPhone.

I'm sure Google will produce a slick iPhone webclip version of their GV site. Until then, even m.google.com/voice is incompatible with my phone.

[avner]

Apple and AT&T are allowed to do this in the US because of ludicrous FCC overwatch that allows operators to do almost whatever they want after they have paid the obligated billions in spectrum licenses. Such practice along with things like locking hardware devices to one operator, thus effectively limiting consumer choice would not only be considered anti-competitive in other parts of the world, but also grounds for a major investigation.

Unfortunately, the 'lobbying' mobile communications industry in the US has an absurdly rigid establishment that has limited competition from the beginning and people gladly pay for things like receiving phone calls/sms .

[jlgosse]

Agreed. I can't wait for the service to come to Canada actually, it should work great on my Storm!

Oh yeah, I can also multitask, and download applications from non-Apple stores, websites and vendors. The list goes on and on! :)

[sound2man]

The main problem with android (for me) is the lack of CDMA phones. I am on the SERO plan with sprint - $30 a month for voice, data, and text - and I am not switching for any phone. If there were android phone in Sprint's line up, I'd be game.

I do not have an iphone, and I don't want one at this point. Jailbroken they look intriguing, but not stock. I need PDANet.

[jrockway]

Rumor has it that Sprint will be carrying the HTC Hero later this year. It is definitely the best Android phone to date; I will be switching to Sprint if they are the first to get it. So you may be in luck.

[sound2man]

But no hardware keyboard...