When AT&T customers in the U.S. finally have access to tethering on their iPhone, it won’t work with Apple’s iPad due to software limitations, not AT&T policy.
Reports surfaced online Thursday that tethering between the iPhone and iPad would not be possible. AppleInsider contacted AT&T, and was told that the matter is a question for Apple, as the iPad apparently does not allow tethering via USB or Bluetooth.
"This is not a policy issue," an AT&T spokesman told AppleInsider, deferring to Apple for further information on the subject.
This seems like something Apple needs to sort out. Very dumb that AT&T says tethering is meant to support netbooks and ‘other computing devices’ but won’t support the iPad. Between this and the disappearing act on the iPad 3G unlimited data plans, it’s all bad news right now for iPad owners who want more 3G data options.
It’s a feature that could be added via a future software update – and I can’t think of any good reason why it shouldn’t be.
Via: Apple Insider
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been tethering with my iPhone for weeks now with a jailbroken iPhone and MyWi app. If they can do it, why can't Apple??
It’s just one more reason to jailbreak and run Miwi/PDAnet (sp?). I’d be doing it right now if I didn’t know I’d be upgrading my phone in the next few weeks! Hopefully “they” will figure out how to JB the new iPhones quickly.
I tether from my iPhone to my iPad every day! Oh the loveliness of jailbroken…ness.
Exactly why you jailbreak and run MyWi. Weird that already works on my iPad from my iPhone. Doesn’t sound like an Apple problem since it already works.
I need to give MyWi a try soon.
Existing ATT customers are suppose to be able to keep their unlimited data plans, even if they upgrade to another phone. However, if you subscribe to what will be ATT's new tethering plan, you have to drop the unlimited plan for one of ATT's crappy 2gb plans. What a rip that would be. I would wait to upgrade my phone anyway, for now, till a jailbreak comes out for the new OS. Otherwise you are going to be stuck with no tethering except ATT's megabuck rip-off. Not only that, until 3g really gets upgraded, a new phone is not a great benefit, although I undersand the camera will be a lot better. I prefer PDAnet by the way, although MiWil is good also, but PDA net let's you connect with USB. I work in an engineering bldg. and people there will freak if they see a network pop-up they don't recognize. PDAnet with USB keeps everything very discrete.
A good reason why iPad tethering isn’t there and won’t be added soon may be that ATT has asked Apple that it NOT be there, either to dampen network usage or to be able to charge users twice for 3G, once on your phone and once on your iPad. Move to the UK. Or pretty much any other iPad country. Except Canada, that is, which also has extortionate 3G pricing models.