Macrumors reports that Apple’s App Store was selling a tethering app compatible with the iPhone (both 3G and EDGE) for a brief period earlier this evening. The $10 application, called NetShare, was developed by Nullriver software, and would be a godsend for many iPhone owners. After going up around 8PM EST to the elation of a lucky few, the application was pulled down around 20 minutes later.
Phone tethering allows users to access the internet from their laptop computers wherever they get service on their cellphone carrier’s data network. The feature is common on many phones with high speed (namely 3G) data access, and has been noticeably absent from iPhones. While 3G is typically slower than most Wi-Fi access points, having internet connectivity on the go is a huge plus for many people - enough so that many carriers charge on the order of $30 a month to enable it.
Users with jailbroken (hacked) iPhones have been able to enable tethering to their phones through a complicated process for some time, but such tethering is prohibited by AT&T’s terms of service. The release of NetShare seemed to indicate (albeit briefly) that AT&T had changed its mind on the matter.
Now, users who try to download the application are told that it is no longer available in their country. So what happened? The app may have snuck past Apple’s approval process - but with reported wait times of weeks (or months) it seems unlikely that anything appears there accidentally. Then again, Apple has been dealing with a massive influx of new applications - they may simply be overwhelmed and are getting sloppy.
It is also possible that the app was supposed to be limited to a few select countries, and was accidentally posted on the US store. Finally, AT&T may have really changed its mind, but it seems unlikely that they’d pass up the chance to tack one more fee on our data plans.
Tethering is the only thing keeping me on Verizon / Motorola right now. If it were available for the iPhone I’d switch tomorrow. Sadly I suspect this will be allowed to happen as AT&T tries to conserve its precious bandwidth instead of letting us actually use what we’re paying for.
Hopefully if they’re not allowed to put it back up they’ll just release it for jailbroken iPhones
Lucky to the few who were able to download the app, From my view if users are paying for unlimited data, they should be able to use unlimited data. But that is just me.
http://blabtech.blogspot.com
I’m with JungleDave, on Verizon and ain’t buying an iPhone until I can tether.
AT&T allows tethering on other devices. One of my friends visiting from Australia bought a $25 AT&T prepaid sim and then spent $20 of that credit on a month of their unlimited data plan. He was about to buy a 3G iPhone until I told him that Apple’s software doesn’t support tethering. So it’s an Apple issue not an AT&T issue.
AT&T does a lot of things differently with the iPhone (you think Apple doesn’t know how to do MMS or tethering?) AT&T is trying to maximize their profits. I doubt Apple is behind the takedown.
If it’s an AT&T issue, then why doesn’t Apple allow these tethering applications in other markets? There are now dozens of different carriers around the world.
Tethering (technically Internet Connection Sharing) is a free feature, but into Windows Mobile. It’s one thing for Apple to leave features out of the OS, but it’s really a shame that they’re so rigid about 3rd party apps.
I really wonder how people like Mike Arrington and Walt Mossberg can go on Charlie Rose, swoon over what a revolutionary computing platform the iPhone is, and never once mentioning the artificial and anti-competitive restrictions that Apple has placed on developers.
What’s really revolutionary about the iPhone isn’t what it CAN do, it’s what it CAN’T do. For decades, consumers have had the choice of what applications to run on their personal computers, and how they want their computer to function. The iPhone takes all of the control out of the users hands, and gives it all to Apple.
In 1984, Apple had the world in their hands. They had a chance to be THE computing platform. They blew it. By asserting so much control over the iPhone, they’re going to blow their lead again. Another year or two and Windows Mobile or Android will have caught up, only they won’t have the limitations that the iPhone does. Is Apple going to be competitive then, or is iPhone destined for the same also-ran marketshare that Macs have enjoyed for the last 25 years?
I have an iPhone, but if Apple doesn’t open up, I won’t have another.
Mike,
You’re right on the money. The iPhone needn’t be a telco’s dream of a ‘walled garden in the air’. I really hope they change their stance, or they’ll suffer great consequences through ignorance.
As a new iPhone owner, I am certainly impressed by the platform, but they sure as hell better cede full-control and accessibility to the owner. People aren’t buying these phones to be dictated to by Apple.
Oh please, in another 2 years Windows will be exiting the mobile space with its tail between its legs.
Finally, an intelligent review of the iphone.
Agreed! Only Apple could get away with crippled and missing features. Every free phone has a blinking light ‘Message Waiting’ indicator. Apple? Sheez! Non-removable battery - give me a break! auugghh. Apple!
I wonder how long telcos will be able to keep the mobile data gates up. Eventually one of them will grow smart and discover that they can capture an entire market and boost an new industry while everyone else still tries to squeeze the last $ out of their clients for data download. The tech history books will soon after read “if the mobile network providers would have realized this earlier they would have not ended up like Compuserve or AOL did back in the land-line days….” Same old, same old…
I agree - there is so much more functionality available in other phones, phones that don’t crack their casings in the store - http://twitter.com/romant/statuses/873228806 , phones thatr let you do cut-andpaste out of the box, phones that you MMS out of the box….
Even my Windows 2003 phone did all that; Add http://www.pointui.com/ and it has the sexy interface….
Yes you can (maybe, one day, real soon now) buy or download apps from apple that will do these things (except maybe fix the cracks), but why can’t it come with that functionality ?
This is a weak point. A open development process brings everyone’s creative potentials together to make a better phone. I don’t want or expect Apple to make every piece of software I use.
However, hardware-wise Apple does a very good job of choosing features, but it will never fit everyone. If you *need* MMS or Stereo Bluetooth or whatever junk is “stopping you from buying an iPhone”, then don’t buy it. If you need to send crippled messages with pictures attached (MMS) to other phones, don’t buy an iPhone. I’d rather use email.
I don’t even understand how someone can get excited about any other current phone than the iPhone. I’ve tried to use these phones in various stores. What a joke.
Interesting stuff. Nice reporting…
So much for the lie that they had to protect users from buggy software. They require apps to get their approval to protect their business model, and keep users under control. Can’t wait for an open phone to get out there, and we can start really exploring the potential of the technology. Will Google’s phone be that?
I don’t think this was a lie. They said how they were going to handle VoIP apps and from that everyone pretty much knew the lines they were going to draw.
Gone from the Australian store too…
Was about to respond bu Peter Urban nailed it. It’s about control. What carriers don’t understand is that if they let go they’ll empower a powerful platform and all (or most) boats will rise. Certainly theirs.
What’s amazing is how much we tolerate it all. With our mad consumer worship of the iPhone, we’re willing to put up with all manner of hosing by ATT.
We need a web style disruption in the carrier space in the worst way.
This is not AT&T’s fault. Apple did this. AT&T allows tethering on all their other phones, as an optional service that you have to pay monthly for. On WinMo phones, they allow internet-sharing at no additional charge. Even if AT&T somehow made a deal with Apple to not allow tethering, it’s still Apple’s fault. They shouldn’t have made such a bad deal for themselves, and their customers.
We do need more competition in the carrier market (like the ISP market), but this is definitely not AT&T’s doing. It’s just a case of a 3rd party developer thinking outside the box that Apple has built for them, and being punished for it.
Remember, it was Apple’s choice from the beginning to sign an exclusive deal with a carrier. They didn’t have to do it. They could (and should) have gone the route of Nokia with the N95, and sold the iPhone unlocked. If you’ve got a problem with AT&T, blame Apple.
Besides, AT&T might be the devil, but their rates and service aren’t any worse than any of the other providers. All the cellphone companies are terrible, and that’s why Apple shouldn’t have made any deals.
That being said, I still think that this has nothing to do with AT&T, but everything to do with Apple wanting to own the iPhone that you paid for.
Anybody remember that Apple 1984 ad? I think it featured some authoritarian figure who was dictating what people could and couldn’t do… See how Apple has changed?
Wow … I totally want this app now … Isn’t it possible for people to distribute apps outside of the itunes store?
It is too bad to see that when something really useful comes out they remove it. I have looked over a lot of the apps, but “most” with the exception of a few are novelty items and not really that useful.
This behavior is why I will never, ever, ever buy Apple products, especially the iPhone. Someone *wants* to sell you a program to perform a function available on other AT&T phones for your iPhone and you *want* to buy it. Apple says NO and so it is.
FWIW, I downloaded this app earlier off the app store, got home a few minutes ago to read all the take down stories, but am happy to report that the app works as advertised. Call me a completely satisfied customer, and possibly the best $10 I’ve ever spent.
Time to cancel my at&t wireless broadband card.
Wow… what a janky move by apple… check out hot tech news and opinion here… http://www.gothamtechminute.blogspot.com
By the way, in germany, with your iphone contract, you can get a second or third free SIM Card (MultiSIM) that is running on the same number and everything but can be put in a USB HSDPA Dongle for your laptop and used there, or in a second phone (they all ring at the same time).
Here in Finland tethering is something you absolutely do not have to pay extra for. It’s a feature of the phone, so why couldn’t I use it… I don’t miss copy&paste or MMS anywhere near as much as I miss tethering. If I’m away at a cottage for the weekend or travelling, I will have to carry my old phone with me for that use.
I hope it’s a case of Apple not having had time to do it the way they want to, instead of them enforcing dumb politics set by either AT&T or themselves.
To the best of my understanding, this is all Apple’s doing. Apple has limited the things you can do over Bluetooth. The only thing they allow is mono headsets. No keyboards, no stereo and also no tethering. Maybe someone who knows the in’n'outs of Bluetooth could enlighten us how this can be done?
I think it’s safe to say that there is usually a good reason why Apple does anything. If there ever was a company than made planning ahead an artform, it’s Apple.
But we should keep complaining about the missing tethering, whatever Apple’s reasons are. It’s just unacceptable that you can’t do tethering on the iPhone.
My 2c.
Did NetShare allow tethering via bluetooth or wifi? There’s currently no information on Nullriver’s website.
I agree this really ought to be officially supported, one of the few reasons I’m not selling my Nokia N95 8GB yet.
If the few people (ahem “Works For Me!”) who were able to purchase/download this app. shared the binary, wouldn’t others be able to use it on a jailbroken 2.0 iphone/iphone 3G??? Or is there not already apps that allow teathering so easily for jailbroken iphones? In other words…anyone found the binary being shared anywhere yet?
Don’t forget to tether the phone to the charger cos this would drain the battery power even more than it is currently.
Jeez, you people with your iPhone love - you’re being ripped left right and centre. Oh, you’d love to tether would you. Oh, Apple, AT&T, pleeze let us tether our phones that we own to our laptops that we own to use our bandwidth that we own. Oh no, just love the interface, you can’t actually do what you want with this.
Christ, I’ll stay with my N95 for all it’s clonky interface, at least it does everything I want connectedly - and it has a fucking brilliant camera.
Suckers.
Tethering is the only thing keeping me on my first gen iPhone. If I could tether it to my MBP I would have upgraded to iPhone 3G. For now I’ll just stick with my Edge connection.
I really wish AT&T would allow the iPhone to tether. That’s one of the most annoying lack of features on the phone. Boo to Apple/AT&T for pulling it down!
It’s back up on the app store!! search for Netshare. It’s $10.
very very cool thanks
thanku you
Thank you
tşk