Google Voice apps Removed/Rejected from the App Store

Today, TechCrunch revealed that the 2 existing Google Voice apps, VoiceCentral and GV Mobile had been removed from the app store. They also heard from Google that the official Google Voice application for the iPhone had been rejected by Apple.

The apps were officially rejected due to the clause in the iPhone developer agreement that states that apps can't duplicate the functions built into the OS. Really, a lame clause and likely just covering up something else. After all, how many hundreds of apps in the app store duplicate functionality of the built-in apps?

The rejections have been unofficially blamed on a clueless AT&T attempting to protect their fleeting business. If true, it shows a real desperate company that just doesn't understand the need to innovate and lead rather than just fail by sticking to your quickly aging business.

But why has AT&T intervened yet again when this same app is available on Blackberry phones using the AT&T network? When will AT&T stop treating iPhone customers like second class customers?

I'm no fan of AT&T, I think very few customers are, but this just adds another log to the fire.

[Via TechCrunch]