Location: Apple Headquarters, 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States
Apple said it will allow Internet voice (VoIP) service providers to run on the iPhone and iPad, after Federal Communications Commission concerns (an inquiry) that blocking those services could violate open Internet access rules.
The company's decision came with the launch of a new version of its mobile operating system for the iPad tablet computer on Wednesday. The decision will pave the way for companies such as Skype and Vonage to put their free or low-priced voice applications on Apple's devices. The move comes after federal regulators asked Apple about its earlier decision to block such applications. Currently the applications can only access WiFi connections on the iPhone. Specifically, Apple said it revised it program license agreement for developers in the new version of its mobile operating system, the iPhone OS 3.2. In the update, it gave developers the ability to create VoIP applications on AT&T's (Apple's exclusive provider for the iPhone and its first partner for the iPad) 3G network.
