Has Apple Stopped Approving Google App Updates?
August 20, 2012
Nearly three weeks ago, Google promised a new update to their popular Search app for iOS. At the time, Google stated that the improved app would include some Siri-like capabilities. Twelve days later, however, and that update has yet to hit the App Store.
In a move that sounded interesting at the time, Google on Aug. 8 announced that they would one-up Apple and offer iOS customers a new discovery service that used voice recognition.
As Brent Dirks stated at the time:
The voice search option uses contextual awareness of where you are and what you are searching for to provide better results. Users can also direct the search function to do specific tasks. As an example, if asked to “Show me a video that explains quantum physics,” the app opens YouTube and shows a related video.We’re not saying that Google won’t release this update. However, it is interesting that Mountain View has so far failed to do so. This is especially true given the company’s very public pronouncement that it would arrive “within the next couple of days.” Apple is said to have received the app for approval “one week or so,” prior to Google's announcement, according to The Verge. Therefore, Apple could be the one behind the update's delay. As one of our readers asked:
Do you think Google is lying to us about giving iOS I phone 4 Siri like search voice app. They said in few days but no app. Why would they do this to us? We are all sick over this!We're not sure that a missing app update should cause anyone to get nauseous, but it does seem interesting. After all, it comes at a time when Google and Apple seem to be going in different directions in terms of iOS. In June, Cupertino announced plans to revise the native iOS Maps app to no longer include Google Maps technology. Later, Apple announced that Google's YouTube app would no longer be available in iOS 6. We'll keep you updated.
