SlingMedia had announced towards the end of March that they have submitted their long awaited iPhone app - SlingPlayer Mobile to the App Store for approval.
Its almost three weeks now and SlingPlayer for iPhone is still not available on the App Store. In fact we are hearing rumors that Apple might have rejected the iPhone app based on AT&T's request.
Slingbox produced by Sling Media is a TV streaming device which allows you to watch and control your favorite TV source such as DVR, digital cable, satellite receiver, or DVD player from anywhere in the world on your laptop or on a cell phone using SlingPlayer mobile.
Sling Media had given a brief demo of their pre-alpha proof-of-concept version of their iPhone app back in June 2008 on a jailbroken iPhone.
During Macworld 2009 in January they had reported that their iPhone app was almost ready, and they plan to submit it to the App Store in the first quarter. They just managed to keep their promise by submitting SlingPlayer Mobile to the App Store towards the end of March.
Unfortunately things don't seem to going as planned since then as folks at Fudzilla are reporting that as per their sources Apple has rejected the iPhone app based on AT&T's request as they have concerns on bandwidth consumption.
I doubt that's the reason as it would be quite controversial if AT&T blocked SlingPlayer from the App Store as the SlingPlayer Mobile app is already available for other mobile devices such as BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, or Symbian smartphones. SlingMedia's iPhone page still says that they have submitted the app to the App Store for approval.
Dozer, one of our readers, had also pointed out to an article over at Ars Technica which highlighted another issue with SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone. Apparently, if you own an original Slingbox, Slingbox AV, or Slingbox TUNER then you will have to upgrade to a newer Slingbox in order to use it with your iPhone.
It will be interesting to see how this story unfolds, so stay tuned here at iPhone Hacks and we will keep you posted as soon as we get any news. Let's hope it is to tell you folks that the iPhone App is available on the App Store as we really like to use more killer iPhone apps like SlingPlayer Mobile on the iPhone.
[via Fudzilla]
Damn, I have been waiting and waiting for it to come out for the iPhone. Whatever bandwidth reason that they say is stupid. I'd been using Slingpayer on my T-mobile Wing on the EDGE network and very smooth.
Wow… Long time reader. It's a good feeling to be referenced in a story. I wish it wasn't this story though… I've been looking forward to this app. To any interested readers, the PDA Net wifi solution works great with any wireless enabled windows mobile device like my MDA or BB8120. It's a second device to carry around, but at least it works and at 3G quality. You can pick the older devices up pretty cheap from the usual locations.
Screw Apple. Someone should direct the execs from SlingMedia over to the Cydia store!
Wired who has reported the story also believes that is it unlikely the app will get rejected.
And even if it does, they believe Apple will give Sling instructions on modifications it would like to see such as ask Sling to make its app work only with Wi-Fi and to disable the cellular network support.
Hmm, I'm not sure if the app would serve its utility if it only worked over Wi-Fi, in which case SlingMedia might have to change the pricing of the app as $30 would be too expensive.
I always wonder if the people who make apps know of alternatives to getting their masterpieces on the iPhone.
Good! Sling wants me to buy a NEW Slingbox AND the app to watch my TV instead of using my classic Slingbox? I hope it never gets approved and they lose income because of it… open it up to all Slingbox platforms and I will be happy …
WIFI is fine with me, goto cydia download a WiFi faker and make the iPhone tell the sling media app that you are on a wifi network when your only on 3g or edge… problem solved…. and I know many of you will say well the people who dont have jailbroken iphones couldnt use it like that… well whos fault would it be? all they have to do is stop living in fear that jailbreaking thier phone will break it and they would be enjoying the app and many more perks same as me.
sling is denying this:
http://www.slingcommunity.com/blog/entry/35045/SlingPlayer-Mobile-for-iPhone-Still-Awaiting-Approval-Despite-Rumors/
Great news, Whew!!
well i think att is interfering in between otherwise the app meets all apples demands
http://ipsphone.blogspot.com/2009/04/cool-ways-to-charge-your-ipod.html
via http://ipsphone.co.nr/
good. these rat bastards can take their iphone app and stick it. i hope it gets rejected cause they won't let my slingbox work with the app. their promise was half the reason i bought the iphone and now it was pointless unless i spend $170 for a new slingbox too? screw that and screw them.
FUCK AT&T I PAID FOR MY "UNLIMITED" PLAN, WTF DOES "UNLIMITED" MEAN TO THEM. FUCKERS. I HATE THEM ALL. done venting. fuck them, the unlimited plan is supposed to give me as much data transfer as i want, and yet this shows it's not really unlimited. they could jst make the app wifi only and then we could hack it with voipover3g easily. but still, that sucks…
So tbh to use this over wifi I prolly have to have a shit fast net connection to upload and a shit fast connection to dwonload if it's wifi only then where would u really actually be bothered to view the program. Tbh anything worth watching you can download and then gpu encode it to 200mb and take it with you. I really don't see the point of this app
if it only worked over wifi it would be useless, it seems like not many instances would come up where you would have wifi and not have the since to bring a laptop if you wanted to watch tv, plus you wouldnt havr to look at a tiny screen, but if you are still mad and if you have an old slingbox you could just jailbrake your iphone and install PDANet for free and use your iphone as a modem and use all the band with you want watching your slingbox anywhere you have phone signal.
i just thought i would add this too, sling media is now offering an upgrade program, for those with older slingboxes that may not work with the iphone?
http://www.slingmedia.com/go/upgrade
Slingmedia's page for the iphone has been updated slightly. Not really newsworthy, but I thought I'd post it here in case people were interested.
http://www.slingmedia.com/go/iphone