Did Apple allow Google to use methods not in the SDK?
So it looks like Google's voice recognition app uses the accelerometer and proximity sensor to detect when the phone is next to your ear and thus when you have started speaking. It then knows that you are done speaking by detecting if its next to your ear again. This is a great feature and I wish all iPhone developers had access to it.
Unfortunately, this is an undocumented feature (and as far as I know a "private" one). That means that Apple gave preferential treatment to Google and gave them access to a private method that is not available to other iPhone developers. Giving special treatment to big companies is not the way to treat its developers. After all, the iPhone is such a success in no small part to the App Store and all the hard work of the iPhone developers.
Unfortunately, this is an undocumented feature (and as far as I know a "private" one). That means that Apple gave preferential treatment to Google and gave them access to a private method that is not available to other iPhone developers. Giving special treatment to big companies is not the way to treat its developers. After all, the iPhone is such a success in no small part to the App Store and all the hard work of the iPhone developers.