At the top of my list of values are Truth and Integrity. Those have been my highest guiding values ever since I can remember. Even as a teenager I would confess whenever I did something wrong, rather than trying to avoid the consequences. My view has always been that if you don’t have integrity, you don’t have anything. I’m no saint, of course. Far from it. But, truth and integrity are very important to me.
That is why I am so disturbed by two articles I have just finished reading. In one, Mike Arrington asserts that Apple lied to the FCC in its response to the FCC regarding the Google Voice app for the iPhone. He lists several parts of Apple’s response to the FCC, along with his interpretations of why those parts are either a lie or a misrepresentation of facts. Because I am typing this using a Mac, and I have an iPhone in my shirt pocket, this bothers me. It would bother me anyway, but it is worsened because I am an Apple customer and “almost fanboi.”
In the second article, on another of Mike’s websites, Steve Gillmor says that “… Apple is conspiring with Google to force the FCC to “force” Apple to, regrettably, open the door to VoIP and the Universal Inbox.” Basically, he is saying that Apple and Google conceived this whole thing so that Apple and AT&T would be forced into accepting Google Voice, opening up AT&T’s pipes.
If either of these assertions is true, I am not sure what I will do. If Arrington is right, then I am certainly less inclined to buy Apple products in the future. If Gillmor is right, then I would hate the dishonesty involved, but would like the result. That’s because I feel like all the carriers are screwing us, and it would be good to see them have less control over us (and at less cost to us, since this could open up free text messaging). I realize how extraordinarily hypocritical that is of me, but it is the way I am. Told you I am no saint.
Of course, it could well be that neither assertion is true. Indeed, I hope that is the case. We’ve already seen too much corporate misconduct and deception.
What are your thoughts?
Update: This morning I realized why this whole thing bothers me so much: Steve Jobs is one of about a dozen CEOs/leaders that I really admire, and if it turns out that he is dishonest, that would remove him from my “admires list.” All of the people on this list have impressed me as placing a high value on personal and corporate integrity. When I learn something that gives me a totally different view of someone on this list, it really upsets me. So that is why these assertions about Apple are so troublesome to me and why I decided to talk about it. Again, there are only assertions involved in the articles listed above, and no proof of dishonesty. As Thomas points out in the comments, it could all just be Arrington going for sensationalism and higher page views. I don’t know. I do know that I would really be bothered if his assertions turn out to be true.
Apple has the right to accept or reject any app it wants.
If you don’t like that, buy an Android, BB, MS Windows Mobile, Palm Pre, Nokia Phone.
To a point, I agree with you. But, Apple does not have the right to restrain free trade, nor does AT&T. The rejection (or “continuing to study”) of the Google Voice app borders on restraint of free trade because it helps protect a (former) monopoly’s control of the use of “a piece of the internet.”
Personally I could give a rat’s ass about Google Voice. I have no need for it even if it becomes available on the iPhone. The item of interest to me, at least in this article, is whether Apple is acting honestly or not.
Apple owns the app store and the agreement that all developers sign is perfectly clear. The final say stops with Apple. Though stupid, Apple could shutdown the app store tomorrow and everyone’s screwed but I’msure not a single developer would be able to sue them because of the clauses in the SDK contract.
Google’s attempt to “high jack” the iPhone and all the data on it would be unacceptable to Apple, RIM and any other phone maker. That would make it all too convenient for anyone at the end of their contract to jump to an Android phone. And I am sure Google would capitalize on this.
Apple lying is a bit of a stretch on terms. Arrington does stuff like that to be very sensationalistic, and get more pageviews. Kind of like how Dvorak was always against Apple (it got him a ton more page views and comments). So I always take what Arrington says with a grain of salt. Or a bag. Whatever…
I think they chose to “selectively omit” pieces of information because they weren’t specifically asked for. Like how they didn’t mention that they had previously approved several versions of VoiceCentral and GV Mobile and then removed them from the App Store AFTER denying Google’s official client access. I am curious if the FCC asks follow-up questions to get more clarification on what was omitted. I imagine that Apple’s Legal department went over the responses with a fine-tooth comb to make sure that the questions were answered, even if the responses were not all of what we expected/wanted to see.
I am happy to see Apple post their response publicly on their website, though. That’s a good sign, at least. Am curious to see where this goes…
A good level-headed comment, Thomas. I suspect you are right that Arrington is just slanting things for sensationalism, and in a way I hate that my linking to his story and talking about it hear is a bit of sensationalism promotion. Not my style. Not what I like to do. I like level-headed approaches to viewing the world and reporting on it.
However, if Arrington is blowing things out of proportion, he has done a good enough job of it to make me wonder about Apple’s response. Hence, I thought I’d see what others were thinking and whether this might impact their future buying decisions. I do know that I’ll be following this closely.
Thanks again for the good thoughtful comment.
I don’t think that you linking to him is necessarily an endorsement of his article. I think you linked to it and then provided your thoughts on his article. You allow us, the readers, to decide for ourselves what our take is. I think that’s good. Too many people read and assume that what is written is always the truth – far from it. There needs to be more free thinking in the world, and I think your post was a good way for us to do so. Thanks, as always, Bruce.
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The thing that’s been bothering me lately are these rumors that Steve Jobs tried to work a deal with Palm about not poaching each other’s employees. Palm apparently turned that down, but Google and Apple supposedly had such an agreement. Since that is illegal, I’m a bit shocked if it is true. If so, my opinion of Jobs will be more tarnished than it is now. He’s a very impressive guy, but these kind of things bother me.
On a side note, the book “The Second Coming of Steve Jobs” is a very interesting look into him at NeXT, buying Pixar, etc. Very good book – well worth a read…
Yes, that bother me, too. It really is a shame when someone you admire turns out being different than you thought, in a bad way.
Thanks for mentioning the book. I generally enjoy that kind of book.