What’s going on? It’s like a series of gang fights have broken out in the world of technology among the “heavy hitters”.
Added to the normal “Microsoft vs Apple” on/off slugfest, we witnessed a series of back-and-forth rounds between Microsoft and Google. Now we have a pair of “friends” squaring off over the rejection of Google Voice by Apple under the watchful eye of the FCC.
Why is the FCC getting involved? The FCC chairman cited the FCC “has a mission to foster a competitive wireless marketplace, protect and empower consumers, and promote innovation and investment” .
How does that statement line-up with reality? How is Apple’s rejection of Google Voice affecting the “competitive wireless marketplace”? How many smart phones from different vendors are there? Google itself is a competitor in the wireless market with more and more Android-based phones either available or coming to market in the near future. If consumers don’t like Apple’s position or the AT&T wireless provider, they have a number of alternative providers and a plethora of cell phone manufacturers and models to choose from. It would seem that consumers have more than enough “empowerment”.
It is no secret that Google has ties to the current Administration. Could these associations be playing a part in the current episode?