Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

iPhone 4 Beta Shows AT&T Tethering

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the dear-god-yes dept.

An anonymous reader found news that will strike fear into the hearts of every 3G user in NYC. "Apple released iPhone OS 4.0 Beta 4 on Tuesday evening and it wasn't long before developers found the strongest evidence yet that tethering for US-based iPhone customers may happen sooner than later."

5 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. For a price of course by imamac · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because, unlimited data isn't really unlimited.

    1. Re:For a price of course by Scutter · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Because, unlimited data isn't really unlimited.

      If it's anything like AT&T's current offerings, you'll pay $49/month just for the ability to tether, but you'll have to pay $5/month per website, plus $5/month (per "channel") to stream internet radio, plus $5/month for video, plus $5/month for 200 e-mails. It's unlimited alright. The only limitation is how deep your pocket is.

      --

      "Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
    2. Re:For a price of course by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And Android, all you have to do is download PDAnet, and it doesn't come with a monthly charge. So why take baby steps with Apple/AT&T when you can walk like a man?

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    3. Re:For a price of course by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Which is why this:

      tethering for US-based iPhone customers may happen sooner than later."

      makes no sense.

      It's already "later".

      "sooner" was the release day of the first IPhone. It's been later ever since.

  2. Why? by ledow · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If a company has a device that doesn't support tethering, why would you buy their products if you want to tether it? Why hype-up that they've "finally" included the damn thing, when it's been a standard feature on phones since GPRS and Bluetooth were available (my phone does it and that was released in 2003)?

    If a network does not support tethering for your particular device, why would you join them if you one day hoped to tether?

    There are other companies, other devices, other networks that *do* support tethering. Stop hoping for half-arsed solutions, trying to "jailbreak" your phone to do that, etc. Just buy one of the cheaper, easier, simpler devices that supports it out of the box without getting in your way or voiding your warranty. The companies that make those devices obviously know what you want and, crucially, will have been doing it properly, for longer.

    And, besides, phone tethering is old-hat anyway. It costs literally a few pounds / dollars to connect a PC to a 3G always-on connection on a decent tariff in the country of your choice. Most laptops have options to have it built-in, or external devices can be bought for less than a meal-for-two. There are PAYG and contract data tariffs that work out more than cheap enough (providing you don't roam internationally on them, but that's the same for anything). They won't interfere with the use of your phone, won't be tied to your keeping a stupidly-expensive phone, are designed for the job and don't have the security / network-lock / price / etc. issues that tethering to an iPhone would.

    Stop being surprised when years-old features are suddenly "added" to products that should have had them (and technically *could* have had them for absolutely no price difference whatsoever) in the first place.