It hasn’t been too long since Google launched its iPhone search app missile and struck targets deep inside my heart. Like most missiles, it blew a lot of weak, defenseless things into oblivion (I’m looking at you, Google search bar in Safari). But also like a lot of missiles, it came with its fair share of fall-out.
Apple yanked the app briefly, causing all sorts of firestorms. Then Daring Fireball played tattle-tale and told the world about how Google was exploiting the iPhone’s proximity sensor to activate the voice search, which breaches the iPhone’s API.
Yesterday, Google decided to send in the troops to put down the rebellion. Honesty, it seems, would be their weapon of choice. Not like they care what you think, but they totally did break the API, on purpose and everything. All is not lost, however, as the spokesman referred all questions and comments to the palm of his hand.
It’s not clear yet if Apple was down with this or not, but what is clear is that you developers out there likely shouldn’t try the same thing. After all, you don’t have your own CEO planes and cellphone platforms to fall back on.