Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Freeware, Apple, Developer, iPhone, iPod touch
Google: Yeah, we did use an undocumented API. So what?
On last Sunday's talkcast, we all speculated on the situation behind Google's voice app using undocumented API calls on the iPhone. Either Google just went and did it themselves, or they got special permission from Apple to dive into places that most developers aren't really supposed to go. And it turns out that the former is true: Google says to CNET that, yeah, they used undocumented APIs. What are you going to do about it?They're not using private frameworks at all, and apparently Apple isn't even part of the situation -- Google's engineers just jumped on some extra, undocumented features in the API. The danger here for most devs, apparently, is that if Apple changes something in the undocumented stuff, it'll break the app. But Google seems unconcerned -- they have the resources, apparently, to change things if needed.
As for Apple themselves, my guess is they'll do what they've been doing: stay hands-off until a smaller developer breaks something really important. If anyone is going to get special permission to bend the rules, it'll be Google, and given that Apple's API agreements are something they can choose to enforce (or not) as they see fit, Google likely has nothing to worry about.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
balls said 2:27PM on 11-26-2008
this is bullshit, should be sames rules for everyone!
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colouroflight said 2:45PM on 11-26-2008
Pointless rules are meant to be broken. I congratulate Google on their inquisitiveness and inventiveness to make use of undocumented calls.
Tony said 4:32PM on 11-26-2008
It's not the first time.. I saw an app that did wifi stumbling on the iphone, in the appstore.. the published API just doesn't give you that kind of access (I know how they did it but it's only documented in the jailbreak stuff).
I don't think apple care so much provided you don't take the smeg by breaking out of the sandbox or launching background apps.
mabhatter said 12:33AM on 11-28-2008
Just because these are "undocumented" doesn't mean they're not on Apple's site. Google just has better search tools over Apple's documentation than other teams.
Buckingham said 2:36PM on 11-26-2008
Come on. Google definitely has a deeper reach within Apple than most third-parties out there. This is a non-issue.
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balls said 2:50PM on 11-26-2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HUvTp8ZcJs
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Just_a_guy said 3:13PM on 11-26-2008
i'm glad google is doing this, because I hope it is the start of an avalanche.
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Glen said 1:16AM on 11-30-2008
You don't get it. Undocumented API's usually exist because things are still in flux in the background - Apple is still working on get stuff right. When Apple documents the API's, they make a commitment to support them and to not break them as stuff gets updated. If an 'avalanche' of people start using undocumented API's, then when Apple needs to change the way something works to support feature X correctly, or make things easier for developers - all those people's apps will crash - which is a terrible customer experience.
Look, Google is a big enough company that Apple is going to test their app when they update and make sure they don't break it. Google's willing to take that gamble, and also has enough engineers to throw at fixing any issues right away. But that's intractable for 10,000 other applications. Then the developers all piss and moan at 'evil' and 'inconsiderate' Apple for breaking them.
Using documented API's is part of creating good software. IMHO - unless they had permission from Apple - this is bad form on Google's part.
Kris Fields said 6:16PM on 11-26-2008
Does google voice search only work in the US? The UK version of google mobile app has no mention of it...
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Kris Fields said 6:19PM on 11-26-2008
Oh yes it does! Just turned off by default and not mentioned in the blurb!
Joel said 9:49PM on 11-27-2008
It works, but I've not been able to get it to work well. I tried searching for my full name "Joel Ivory Johnson" and so far the closest it has come is "Julie Avery Johnson." It usually interprets it as "Shoreline Johnson."
roz said 2:58PM on 11-28-2008
Google might have had Apple's approval to do this. It's not a big deal.
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