November 29, 2008 by Matt Thomas
A double standard in the rules that govern inclusion in Apple’s ‘App Store’ has emerged after Google admitted that voice search programme, Google Mobile App violates Apple’s SDK. Specifically, Google Mobile App is using undocumented APIs to conduct its voice searches. This is forbidden by the rules that Apple have set out for developers wanting to create applications for the iPhone, which clearly state that developers may use, only APIs supplied in the iPhone developers kit. The offending APIs relate to the app’s proximity sensor function.
Despite the fact that a smaller developer’s app would almost certainly have been rejected for this infraction, Google Mobile App remains downloadable from the App store and seems unlikely to be removed any time soon. When asked why they chose to ignore the rules a Google spokesperson replied by claiming that it was necessary to get an “innovative and useful application,” to users as fast as possible.
That logic does hold up to a certain extent, it is certainly a good app and it would have been delayed or compromised by obeying the rules, though it is another troubling example of Google believing itself to be above the standard practices laid out for other companies. Perhaps the search giant should have curbed their enthusiasm slightly in this instance, to at least appear as if they’re on the same planet as the rest of us.
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