I've been a Google Voice user since its days as GrandCentral. However, after Google purchased them and put its net voice mail service in a deep freeze, I slowed down migrating to the service since I thought Google might let it languish and die like other promising web services they had bought over the years. When Google relaunched the service as Google Voice, I restarted the process of giving out my Google Voice number. When Google made Google Voice apps available for Android and BlackBerry phones recently, I figured an app for the iPhone couldn't be far behind.

However, when TechCrunch reported that Apple pulled two third party (not Google) iPhone apps from the iTunes App Store...

Apple Yanks The Cord On GV Mobile. Is It Trying To Kill Google Voice On The iPhone?

...I had a bad feeling about my chances of seeing a Google provided Voice app. A second TechCrunch report let us know the bad news. Google had submitted a Google Voice for iPhone app 6 weeks ago and it had been turned down...

Apple Is Growing Rotten To The Core: Official Google Voice App Blocked From App Store

Fingers are pointing, of course, at AT&T as the telecom bully forcing Apple to turn away these Google Voice apps. The truth is, though, that any of the mobile carriers would do the same thing if they were so closely aligned with a platform and its only official app outlet.

The value of an open app market for end-users becomes clear in cases like this. Android, Windows Mobile and other platforms with open app markets are probably looking pretty good to some iPhone owners right now.