GoMo Buzzwatch: has Apple banned a mobile video application on AT&Ts request?

According to a report yesterday, Apple has banned the upcoming Slingplayer mobile video application from the iPhone App Store. Sling has been careful to ensure that it’s app adheres to all the Apple guidelines for applications. So why has it been banned? If the tipster is to be believed, simply because AT&T asked them to.

What does Slingplayer do?

Slingplayer is a hardware and software company that focuses on converging TV services across all media. The Slingbox can connect to pretty much any device with a screen, and play TV through it. Slingplayer is software that you install onto fixed or mobile devices that allows you to control what you watch through the Slingbox.

So, what’s the beef?

Apparently, AT&T are worried about the risks posed by the data consumption of this new app. It fears that it’s broadband capability will be clogged by people watching video’s over Slingplayer. I’m not sure if that rings true - while it’s true that Slingplayer has been in place on other platforms for some time now and hasn’t crippled any networks so far, it’s also true that AT&T could expect to see FAR greater usage of the app on iPhone than other devices. It’s much the same thinking that lead to Skype only being able to work through WiFi on iPhones.

It has been speculated that the reason AT&T are doing this is that it doesn’t want any competition for a possible mobile video service it will be launching. It’s all still speculation, though. Slingplayer still classify the app as “pending”, Apple hasn’t made any official statement about this yet, and a lot of people are wondering how this will affect AT&Ts bid to retain their exclusivity on the iPhone.