Sean Kovacs

Total B.S.!!!! glad I got the app when it first came out but this is crap. I dont get why apple cares WTF at&t wants, without the iphone at&t would be hurting BIG TIME! yet every carrier out there would kill to be able to carry the iPhone.

@kingoftowns

Sadly, Apple has profit sharing with AT&T so it’s in their (current) best interest to keep AT&T happy no matter how horrible their service is.

This is outrageous but it doesn’t seem like Apple is going to ease up on the AppStore policy anytime soon. They are running it like communist China and fanboy or not, I hope it comes back to haunt them.

If we get a refund for the app by complaining about its removal, will that take money out of Sean’s pockets?

@BigUps

i belive it will take money since apple keeps the commission

@BigUps
Absolutely. Getting a refund is not a good idea. That hurts Sean big time, but not crApple.

There’s no doubt this decision will bring AT&T and crApple to their knees. We just have to band together to make it happen.

As far as I’m concerned, AT&T and crApple don’t exist, period.

My friend will cancel his family contract with AT&T this week for T-Mobile; I will make &25 in referral fees.

@BigUps
Yes… Sean received 70% of the $2.99 you paid for his product. If you request a refund, Sean will have to pay 100% of the 2.99 back. He’ll pay more than he received.

The product still works, I’m keeping it. And even if it didn’t work, I would refund. It’s not fair to Sean.

That was mean to say “I would NOT refund” … whoops

If you do want a refund I suggest giving the money to Sean directly – he did a lot of work here for AT&T to pull the rug out from under him.

Does anyone have contact info for AT&T that we can hit up in order to express our displeasure?

AT&T and crApple started the war, now Google is taking it to them. Let’s see how it plays out. Check this out: http://www.bbspot.com/News/2009/07/google-removes-apple.html

Fuck you AT&T.

Wow. AT&T is just plain evil.

Has the source being checked? Is it real, or just a hoax? The “Yea” and the wording just doesn’t click for me (“on this unfortunated removal of a great application”).

Just bit the bullet and cancelled my AT&T contract. No more 80 dollars a month just for the privilege of using my iphone anywhere. I am mostly in wifi areas so I will make due with wifi iphone usage, GV Mobile, siphon for free voip. Never used SMS much anyway so won’t miss. Will miss 3G data anywhere, but that is not worth 80 dollars a month. Will be rolling with free telephony. See how it goes.

This is not a hoax, I am the one who spoke with the rep and I had the apple chat log emailed to me as well. I did not provide the chat log as their is sensitive information in the beginning of it. I asked for a refund incase google makes any changes to GV and the app becomes broken I will not be able to use the product anymore. I hope the money doesn’t come from Sean’s pocket as it’s not his fault.

I just posted a story on my blog about at&t denying they had anything to do with it (can find the link in the trackbacks tab). I really don’t care who’s fault it is, I just want to see all the GV apps back in the app store!

Call AT&T’s office of the president, 877 707 6220 and voice your complaints.

Also the email addresses for Ralph De La Vega and Randal Stephenson: rd9444@att.com rs2982@att.com

@sean I did not meant it that way. You did not take that screenshot, correct? I was simply wondering. I learned long ago not to take anything I care about as a fact, without due and thorough research, specially if it comes from the Net.

Mark Siegel, public relations. ms8460@att.com

Let’s keep AT&T phone riging voicing our dissatisfaction over what they did with crApple. I just called two different depatments, and gave them a piece of my mind. AT&T: 1-800-331-0500.

Not that it will do any good but below are AT&T executive contacts, lets flood them with emails and calls…

AT&T Wireless Executive Customer Service:
MaryMichelle Timbang
AT&T Wireless, HQ – Office of the President
Executive Customer Service
MT6973@att.com

AT&T CEO, Randall Stephenson:
Randall Stephenson, AT&T CEO
randall.stephenson@att.com
+1-210-821-4105

@Pissed off
Power to the people. I just called the office of the president, and letf my complaint. I have a very strog feeling that AT&T is beginning to worry about all this. We need to keep the pressure on them crApple and AT&T.

AT&T office of the president, 877 707 6220, and voice your complaints.

First I encourage EVERYONE to demand a refund from Apple. I know this might suck for Sean, but 1000′s of people demanding their money back will be heard much louder inside Apple than a bunch of comments on random blogs that very few people pay any attention to. This practice of pull apps and changing the rules on developers mid-stream has to stop.

Second, I would highly encourage anyone that manages to get a refund out of Apple turn around and donate that money to Sean for the continued development of GV Mobile on Cydia (Jailbreak).

I’m sure that what brought all this to the fore was that Google submitted a native GV app and Apple/AT&T realized approving it was putting them on a slippery slope that once on they’d NEVER be able to stop. A native Google Voice app, even if not in V1.0, would eventually decimate AT&T’s SMS and Voicemail bussiness in a way that an independent developer would be very unlikely ever to. Google WOULD eventually add push SMS notification and VOIP. Further, having a brand name like Google behind the app would increase adoption 100 fold, that’s just the reality of having a big name brand, and then there really would be no way to pull the app.

The mistake, I hope, is them thinking they can get away with pulling it now… we NEED to make a lot of noise. This NEEDS to be picked up in the popular press (FT, WSJ, NYT, etc…).

If indeed Apple is pulling money back from Sean then suddenly this becomes a compelling story that the press might cover, Sean, I encourage you to reach out to the press (and I don’TUAW/MacRumors)… start with ARSTech/Wired and try for a major paper….

just spoke with at&t execs office. they said that the decission was apple’s not att

@Jon
I don’t see why Sean needs to pay for this though. Remember, he pays the 30% that Apple collected as a commission. He will be LOSING money instead of just breaking even.

Donated to the Sean link

@Greg

Greg, I’d love to hear how this goes for you. I am keeping a blog on this exact type of thing, and would like to hear of your experiences. wifitalk.ca at gmail

@Anonymous
I am an r-tard. I overlooked the donation part. Hopefully everyone donates in turn.

Apple’s executive office number: 408 996 1010. Let’s have them blame each other on the same call!

Donation made and pissed off emails sent.

We need to ring crApple and AT&T phones off the hook until they get the message.

We need the attention of mainstream media asap; this is bigger than anyone can think. This is not a joke folks.

I personally think AT&T and crApple will regret this decision.

Flood CNNs iReport and keep calling AT&T and Apple’s executive offices. The louder we are the more likely someone will listen.

@YCF
Dude enough with the crApple, we get it. Unless Sean thinks otherwise i don’t see how a bunch of people demanding refunds is going to affect Apple, and it just hurts him.

@YCF yeah stop that it sounds stupid.

It sounds like the refund request will just generally be a headache for Sean without any real impact on Apple.

I don’t have an iPhone. I seriously considered getting one but this sort of practice makes it even less likely I’ll ever get one. Regardless expect my $3.00 donation.

The part I don’t understand is if they are going to remove the apps, why aren’t they blocking the google voice mobile website also in Safari? All of the same functionality with free sms, voicemail, international calling and “iPhone duplication” features are there even if they’re more of a pain in the ass to use. They aren’t banning the functionality of Google Voice on iPhone, they are just making it slightly more annoying to use. This is going to fail bigtime.

This is just sad

I’m in contact with apple.. I told them I do not want a “refund”, but, compensation for the fraudulent act they committed. I don’t want to hurt Sean, but I DO want to hurt Apple and AT&T. Apple needs to compensate and NOT via. a refund. This issue has really pissed me off…

Sean, can you let us know if you actually end up getting hit by the rebate request or not? I don’t want to take money out of your pocket, but since Apple pulled it maybe they’re eating the cost? In which case, we as customers have every right to demand a rebate over this ridiculous decision by them (regardless of whether AT&T forced them into it or not).

Although I agree that calling execs and sending emails is a good step, I think that some are over-reacting a bit. yes this is a big deal, yes they did something they shouldnt for very vauge reasons, however there is nothing unethical about their actions. if you are upset feel free to voice those objections however as a company apple has the right to pull anything off the app store at any time. Delevopers don’t have a right to publish to the app store it is a privilege. That said I think that sean did deserve an straight answer for why they took his app off the store.

If you don’t like what they choose to allow in their app store, jailbreak. It’s that simple. This attitude of entitlement is NOT what will get the attention of apple. telling them “This is bs I want gv on the app store and if you dont ill cancel my contract” just sounds like a temper tantrum. they will call your bluff weither you’re bluffing or not, and above that it was apple’s choice not at&t and apple already got their money for your iphone. so canceling your contract doesnt hurt apple.

All that said, keep calling apple and at&t. Tell them how much this app meant to you, and that as a CUSTOMER you feel this app was an example of the very reason you wanted an iphone. cutting edge functionality. you want the best and you pay a premium for it and they are making a decision that undercuts you. Tell at&t to pressure apple to bring it back. tell apple that you disagree with their decision and they need to hold themselves to the standards they claim, being the best. apple is always saying how it’s on the cutting edge, that it is the elite. tell them if they want to be elite they need to act like it.

These are business men and women you are talking to, not 4 year olds on a playground. Stop throwing sand and pulling hair. Start acting like adults.

Hi Sean, should we uninstall the App Store app before installing the Cydia app? I downloaded the Cydia App without removing the App Store App (thinking I’d just download another program) but it looks like it changed the icon. Not sure if I’m going to get updates this way. What do you recommend?

iPhone returned to AT&T store yesterday. Contract terminated early. T-Mobile account opened, HTC Hero ordered. Looking forward to delivery.

My chat with Apple support was less than helpful:

Welcome to iTunes Store Chat!
Hi, my name is Raquel. It’ll be just a moment while I review the comments you provided.
Raquel: Hello Nathan
Nathan : Hi.
Raquel: I hope you are having a great day, How may I assist you today?
Nathan: I ‘m wondering what’s up with Google Voice apps being removed from the app store. I already bought it so now I can’t even get updates for it.
Raquel: may I have the item name so i can look it up please
Natha: GV Mobile
Raquel: Im sorry I cannot comment as I am only the billing department
Nathan: Can I get with someone who CAN comment?
Raquel: I encourage you to use the iTunes Feedback page to submit your comments:
Raquel: http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html
Raquel: They will be able to comment as we do not remove the items another department does
Raquel: but you can provide your feedback
Nathan: They don’t respond. So again, may I chat with someone who CAN comment?
Raquel: This is the only link I can provide as they do take comments into consideration
Nathan: Maybe. But with no response. Am I to assume Apple will not even speak with their customers about applications previously purchased and then suddenly removed for no reason?
Raquel: One moment please
Nathan: Please let me chat with someone who can address my concerns.
Nathan Green: Or give me a phone number to call.
Raquel: I wish I could provide you with a number or a link as this is the only link I can provide
Nathan: This brush off is unacceptable. Please let me chat with someone who can address my concerns.
Raquel: One moment please as i get further assistance
Nathan: Thank you.
Raquel: Thank you for waiting. I’ll be with you in just a moment.
Nathan: Okay…
Raquel: Well, this is under the Terms for the App store, “Prices and availability of any Products are subject to change at any time.” If the developer took down an app, you might want to contact the developer to request it be added, or for more info on why.
Nathan: The developer did NOT remove the app. Apple did. Thus, I am contacting Apple.
Raquel: Well, this goes back to the Terms that says, “Prices and availability of any Products are subject to change at any time.”
Raquel: http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#APPS
Nathan: I purchased it expecting updates in the future. Those updates are now not possible because Apple arbitrarily removed it. I’ve read about this happening but it has never affected me. It’s ridiculous.
Raquel: I can issue a refund if you would like is that alright
Nathan: As far as the terms and conditions go, it would not have changed if Apple hadn’t removed it. Again, why I am contacting Apple.
Nathan Green: I don’t want a refund. From what I have read that will remove my ability to sync that application, which I have come to depend on.
Raquel: This items was free and you were not charged
Nathan: It was NOT free! It was a few bucks.
Nathan: You may be looking at the free version, but there was a paid version too.
Raquel: GV Mobile I see is on your account and it was free.
Raquel: I will escalate this and my superir will contact you via email.
Nathan: How am I supposed to trust that my purchases will be available for update if Apple simply removes purchased apps at a whim?
Raquel: My superior will contact you and they will contact you is their anything else I can assist you with?
Nathan: Fine. I look forward to a reasonable reply for this nonsense.
Nathan: No. Thank you for your time.

@David
Why did you have to return the iPhone if you terminated contract early (was it within 30 days)? Also, how did you manage to get HTC Hero on T-Mobile?

Sean – this just sucks!

@Vishal

Long story re: 3GS return. Not within 30 days, but due to a previous AT&T situation my wife and I were able to return. Regarding T-Mobile, “G2 Touch” from their UK arm thanks to my companies sizable international contract.

Sean,

If I request a refund, will it affect you?

-AreJay

Hopefully the cydia version goes back to the nice icon from app store in the next update