SlingPlayer for iPhone rejected at AT&T’s request?
Some feared it might happen, others thought it would pass with flying colors, but unfortunately we’ve got a tip that tries to shed some light on the situation. This was from an anonymous tipster and we’re posting it for information sake. We’ve already reached out to Sling Media PR, so in the meantime, while we wait, here’s what we’ve been told:
The application (SlingPlayer for iPhone) conformed to every single Apple guideline for applications and user interfaces, etc. The reason it was denied (actually denied today if our tipster is to be believed) was because of an executive decision on Apple’s end. AT&T had asked that the app be rejected due to worries about bandwidth consumption (this doesn’t make too much sense given that other devices has been using SlingPlayer Mobile for a long time…).
What do you guys think? We’ll update this when we hear more!
UPDATE: Sling says that they “have had no word from Apple.” Yay!
It makes total sense and it is not AT&T. I was at the national cable show talking with Echostar (who owns Sling). I told them I was suprised that Apple allowed Sling, and they told me that all they had was the development rights, and that they would never get the right to distribute an app. Apple wants to control premium content on their devices – I think the AT&T story is a diversion. Youtube is not premium content. Buying music, movies, and live broadcast is premium, and you will never have the ability to subscribe to this with an Apple device. I don’t use Apple because they are so controlling of the user experience (but they do have cool products).
Apple killed the Sling application because they wanted to, not AT&T. Apple is the enemy now
As per usual and not at all surprising….AT&T and Apple are full of s#!+!!!!
“a different mike” was simply shocked about my comments on being happy with my “crippled” verizon winmo phone over the amazing iphone… well i will say that while Verizon is certainly not perfect and took a while to come around on crippling the wifi on it’s devices, I will be listening to Sirius satellite and watching my slingbox tomorrow on my gps and wifi enabled verizon smartphone and not begging att/apple for an app of actual value while getting another thousand worthless apps.
If $ling requires me to buy a newer model Slingbox for iPhone support, I think I will buy Hava instead. Does anyone know when they plan to release MacOS and iPhone versions of their player?
Source is wrong.
Jay Tannenbaum just confirmed that this info is bogus BS and that apple and AT&T are still review the application. Jay believes it to be accepted soon.
If Apple denies SlingPlayer app, it only means they are admitting lack of their foresight, and so as the network provider who sells Apple’s 3G device, unless “Big” Apple issue a stay for the Slingmedia app until this summer…
2nd quarter this year for the iPhone
Sounds like ATT might want their MobiTV app on the iPhone.
is there a contact email to att for customer issues i want to let them know how i feel.
call ATT and complain!
I think AT&T refused to let it go through because their sweetheart deals with Apple is OVER!
@JAY & Michael: Your best bet is to write a snail-mail letter to the “Office of the President”
Now there are like 5 different addresses for office of the president for AT&T. However, the best one would be either:
AT&T Mobility Office Of The President
5565 Glenridge Connector, Atlanta, GA 30349
or
AT&T Mobility Office of the President
2325 N. University
Lubbock, TX 79415
Now don’t go sending De La Vega a nasty E-mail telling him he is stupid and that AT&T lacks foresight and etc…
Be polite and PROOFREAD. Be concise, no person is going to read a 100 page letter (it’s best to keep it one page).
Actually, just send a letter saying:
“I am a SlingBox user and I would like the SlingPlayer capability on my iPhone over both 3G and WiFi. Since I already own a SlingBox and I am relatively happy with my current cable solution, I am not willing to switch cable carriers or use another solution. Please allow the SlingPlayer application on the iPhone. Furthermore, I find that your 5Gb data caps on your data plans are a little restrictive, especially at the $30/month price point. Realistically, the cap should be closer to 15Gb.”
That’s it. If they get enough letters, you should be good to go.
Why is everyone responding to anonymous tips and rumor? I’m no big ATT fan, but don’t dump on them until you know if this is true or not.
Hey if you guys want to see my personal review of Slingplayer Mobile in action on my personal iPhone 3G…then check out this youtube video link below….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-la1aWk2vM
Hey AT&T,
ATM I’m eating up all your bandwidth on my Fuze using SlingPlayer. B U R N.
AT&T=Screwing iPhone users just for the fun of it.
It’s all about control of an over extended network. Apple/AT&T have sold an enormous amount of iphones in the past and previous year since its release. I wouldn’t be surprised that if they allowed the use of the slingplayer on their network with the current number of iphones out there, the network would come to a crashing halt or be so slow it would cause an uproar amongst all AT&T customers. It’s all about perception. Sure AT&T is a large network, it’s just that with their current architecture they probably cannot support the onslaught of possible bandwidth usage at this time. They are currently in the midst of a re-architecture of their network this year, and until AT&T can support a bandwidth buffet they will probably sway to be conservative and protect their credibility.