Filed under: Video, iPhone, App Store
EyeTV app removed from the App Store over streaming workaround
Update: As of this writing, Total Apps reports that it's back in the UK App Store. We still don't see it in the US store.That sure didn't last long. Just shortly after the discovery of a 3G "backdoor" for the EyeTV app, it has been pulled from the App Store.
The workaround let users of the app stream video over a 3G or other cellular network connection, something that AT&T has objected to in the past. Specifically, users can connect to ElGato's My EyeTV service to schedule and stream recordings.
When users try to stream video outside of a Wi-Fi connection, a dialog box appears saying that a Wi-Fi network is required, but streams the video anyway. Elgato says they have just submitted an update to Apple, after Apple removed it from the App Store, removing "test code" that allowed this streaming:
"Some test code that enabled live TV streaming over the cellular network was accidentally left in the the EyeTV App. Apple requested that we remove the code since their agreement with AT&T does not allow redirecting TV signals over the cellular network. The code was removed and a 1.0.1 version of the EyeTV app was submitted," they told TotalApps.
This app rejection is similar to the removal of the Commodore 64 app, that was pulled after hidden access to a BASIC interpreter was discovered. This removal adds just more trouble and frustration to users and developers, especially because of the current state of the Google Voice app.
[Via Total Apps]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Brian said 10:02AM on 10-17-2009
Living in the UK I appreciate AT&T's efforts to save my mobile carrier O2's bandwidth...
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Jacob B said 12:54PM on 10-17-2009
I agree,
The iPhone is being sold world wide, why are they only listening to one carrier.
Surely they could just pull it from the US store and leave it in the others - theres other content only available in the US so why not the other way round.
Why does AT&T have any say what is allowed in a world wide store - surely they should only have a say on the US store which is the only one that will affect them.
thom said 5:12AM on 10-19-2009
AT&T sucks. Because of their problems all customers of other countries has that silly limitiations!
zerock said 10:02AM on 10-17-2009
Come on Apple, AT&T is killing your product
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DigMo! said 10:07AM on 10-17-2009
@zerock totally agree, it is amazing how much control the carriers appear to have. Having tried to stream TV over GPS/3G I am really not sure anyone would bother. Given that in the UK we can stream live TV from a website (http://www.totalapps.net/mobile-apps/iphone-tv-catchup/) it seems harsh to have pulled the Elgato product !
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Brian said 11:17AM on 10-17-2009
Thanks nice site
mikehild said 4:11PM on 10-17-2009
You mean how much power ONE of the carriers has. Apple's always bending over backwards to please AT&T and making those rules stick for the whole world despite many other carriers being fine with the things AT&T disallows.
At least tethering and MMS are tied to specific carriers and not just AT&T. My Internet usage is pretty low so I've been able to save money by using tethering all the time rather than paying for both my iPhone data and cable/DSL.
spyker said 10:07AM on 10-17-2009
I'm sure they'll just submit an update without the workaround, but I've been liking this feature :D
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gadgetdon said 10:24AM on 10-17-2009
Can't blame either Apple or AT&T for this one. the bandwidth requirements would be significant, and the AT&T network is already stressed. And unlike some other rejections, this one is clearly against the stated rules.
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FeedMeAStrayCat said 10:24AM on 10-17-2009
You have to give AT&T some credit though. They can actually make life worse for people as far away from their network as over here, in Sweden. AT&T doesnt even exist here. Yet they control my phone so that I cant stream video over 3G (except for that baseball app that I cant use anyway and the youtube app) or use internet tethering. Great AT&T. I cant really think of any other company which can ruin stuff so far away from where they operate ...
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mikehild said 1:19AM on 10-18-2009
Unlike everything else you mention, tethering support outside the US is completely unrelated to AT&T. If you can't tether it's because your carrier hasn't told Apple to allow it. I've been tethering here in Canada with no problems since the day the 3.0 update came out.
FeedMeAStrayCat said 3:50AM on 10-18-2009
In 3.0 tethering worked. But AT&T made Apple put in a fix so that Apple could control which carriers that allows it. But my iPhone is a factory unlocked one and I use a carrier that dont sell iPhone. And therefor I cant tether. Its guilty until proven innocense. Tethering is off until Apple approves your carrier. Which is weird since AT&T is the only carrier which doesnt allow it. I know its a bit overreacting. But fact remains. Tethering would be working for me if it wasnt for AT&T.
q00p said 4:30AM on 10-18-2009
Tethering works fine with Telia in Sweden.
FeedMeAStrayCat said 4:36AM on 10-18-2009
Yep. Not with Tele2 though. :) Cause Tele2 has no deal with Apple to sell iPhone. And since 3.0.1 Apple only allow tethering with signed config file thingies. Which you cant get with Tele2. And I know its a stretch to blame AT&T. But like I said. This is a problem only on iPhone (not winmob or andriod or any other) and only because of AT&T.
Fernando said 10:28AM on 10-17-2009
I got the first version still. Im gonna turn off my WiFi and stream my TV on 3G all month long while plugged in just to spite AT&T. That's right Im taking it to the man.
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Brian said 11:03AM on 10-17-2009
me too. temporary slingbox!
Joanna D said 10:37AM on 10-17-2009
Why does every article about issues like this mention AT&T?
They are only one of around one hundred carriers who sell iPhone...
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jb510 said 10:57AM on 10-17-2009
...and they are by FAR the single largest carrier for the iPhone....
sterling said 11:01AM on 10-17-2009
There are international versions of the app store aren't there? Why wouldn't Elgato just submit two versions? The US version would have 3G streaming disabled, the other would not.
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Fisk said 12:23PM on 10-17-2009
Wuff
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