So with Froyo, Android Nexus One can tether on AT&T and iPhone still can’t?
Android 2.2 Froyo updates started going live yesterday for the unsubsidized, unlocked, once-upon-a-time sold directly by Google Nexus One, and it seems to include not only tethering but mobile hotspot (think MiFi, or mobile Wi-Fi router to share your 3G with multiple other devices), usable right now on AT&T — just about the only carrier in the world that doesn’t allow iPhone tethering.
Sure, AT&T is likely running tens of millions of iPhones and only a relative handful of Nexus Ones, but that’s not the point. Apple introduced seamless, elegant tethering in iPhone OS 3.0 in June 2009, and while it looks like US iPhone users may finally get it in iPhone OS 4 in June 2010, that’s a year after the rest of the world and now — it’s even after Android.
The iPhone is popular, we get it. AT&T’s network probably couldn’t handle that many people trying to use their “unlimited” plans on tethered devices, we have no doubt. The situations are completely different, we grant the point.
But it’s so beyond ridiculous now that it can’t — and shouldn’t — escape mention.
(We’ll also note for the record we don’t know how long this will last, as AT&T may figure out a way to block it on unlocked devices and carrier-branded devices may remove it entirely or just bolt on a surcharge).
Video after the break.
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i grew impatient so i just jailbreaked and downloaded pdanet. problem solved.
I’m hoping the iPhone update has the mobile hotspot capabilities. That would take the iPhone experience to the next level
Don’t see why tethering is a pay-service. We paid for the data already!! Probably the best reason to jailbreak.
Jailbroke my phone and I use mywi to share data plan with ipad
Been tethering in Canada ever since 3.0 came out! Can’t believe Canada does something American carriers can’t!
Perhaps the most disconcerting/surprising/unbelievable aspect is the fact that one of the largest telecoms in arguably the world’s most prosperous country cannot manage to provide a service that Apple always intended should be available and is available in most other countries around the world. Like many others, I find it very ironic.
Steam must be coming out of Steve’s ears to be constantly mocked about AT&T’s bush league service knowing full well tethering is not a shortcoming in the product itself.
the whole problem is with unlimited data plans to begin with. If they switch to a data cap everyone would bitch like hell but that is the only way to really offer tethering for free because if they allow unlimited bandwidth people would be able to use a ton more tethering than they can currently use on their phone. AT&T should have placed a data cap on the service to begin with and then they wouldn’t have to control what you can and can’t access nearly as much
Awwww is Rene mad that the N1 has such a cool feature and the iphone on att is a year late with it???? Shouldn’t you be used to it though? It took apple how many years just to get mms on the iphone, just about to get multitasking, etc…
Since it only functions over Bluetooth or USB, I would hardly call Apple’s implementation of tethering “elegant” — they seem to have gone out of their way to make it as inelegant (or more charitably, as restricted and single-use) as possible. “Mobile hotspot” tethering via WiFi would be easier both on setup, on convenience, and on batteries, but Apple will not do it. AT&T has numerous sins, but they are not to blame for all of Apple’s tethering shortcomings. Even internationally, Android phones are by far the best tethering solution for Apple’s own iPad, and most platforms but iPhones can handle it. That blame falls squarely on Apple, as Jobs has gone on record has saying it will not be possible with iPhones. (Non-jailbroken, of course. pdanet does rock.)
@johnny & Mr. L Apple has nothing to do with the lack of tethering on the iPhone in the US. As was said in a previous comment, tethering is available on the iPhone in Canada and other countries, and has been for a while now. The iphone is not lacking in that area as it was with MMS or copy/paste. It’s all up to AT&T whether to enable it or not. It’s a carrier issue, and not a lacking feature.
I tether on Rogers all the time. It is simple and elegant and just works. There were no mainstream mobile hotspot offerings when 3.0 came out so it was best in class, AT&T just decided they couldn’t handle it.
Mobile hotspot is now mainstream so let’s hope Apple gets an option for that in OS 4.
People with iPhone 4 Beta have confirmed that tethering is available there. If tethering will come out for iPhone, it will be with the 4.0 update not I a new update for current generation. We all know this so why post then question like AT&T is doing a disservice by making it available in Froyo and not iPhone? That tethering is new. It’s not like android and iPhone OS are on the same update timeline. Wait a month for 4.0 and stop being so impatient.
OK. I’m confused. If there are “x” number of iphones running unlimited data plans on ATT now, how would this change if they all atarted to tether?? It would still be the same number of users. You are still limited to 5gb of data. Could it be all the people that pay for 3G data cards for their laptops?? At $100 for the card, and $60 a month for the service, do you start to see where the problem lies?? If you could take your $30 a month iphone data plan and connect it to the device of your choice, ATT is out a bundle of cash. NONE of this was an issue with the gen 1 iphone. It was edge only, and ATT was probably betting that it would be a fringe device and not make a big impact. Now we have let that genie out of the bottle, and he ain’t going back, they have a problem on their hands.
Right now Att is making mega profit off the 30 dollar unlimited iphone plan, most of us use less than 250 megs a months. Opening that up tethering people would use way more data, even if they charged more say 20 bucks for tethering, the profit would be less.
What’s the BFD with tethering? 3G is slow as balls to begin with and forget Edge. Just find a free wifi or something and stop whining about not being able to tether. It’s not the end of the world.
@Rene
It works, yes, but a) tethering via USB cable is inconvenient and b) tethering via Bluetooth is harder on the battery than WiFi tethering.
At least WinMo, Symbian, and Nokia (via Joiku, among others) had WiFi tethering well in advance of iPhone 3.0. They are all available in international markets, and work(ed) there. AT&T is not the issue.
Calling those solutions not “mainstream” is the same semantic game Microsoft plays to pooh-pooh any advances OSX makes. Software mobile hotspots were there then, and even in jailbroken iPhones in the 2.x days, and Apple specifically chose not to do them. They are in more places now, and Apple still chooses not to, as evidences by Jobs simple “No” response when asked about tethering an iPad to an iPhone.
AT&T has flaws, sure, but these tethering shortcomings fall squarely on Apple.
How? Apple doesn’t operate the cellular networks anywhere.
wow. I really was enjoying AT&T until they up’d the ETF. Now this. I feel like it’s a slap in the face as a long time iPhone owner that has been waiting for this feature. I mean Google just flips a switch and BAM! Free tethering. U serious?
And Apple? what’s the deal? 2-3 years ahead of the competition. Prove it on June 7 because I think alot of iPhone owners are feeling jilted by the developments and announcements and rumors in the last couple of weeks.
I recently switched to a Nexus One from a 3G and while I still love Apple and the iPhone, they are seriously lagging in comparison to Android with the 2.2 update especially. The UI is much better, media player integration is seamless, and the only main complaint I had, touchscreeen responsiveness, has really been handled with the Froyo update. Apple has a ways to catch up…I just enjoy this device more.
They say their network can’t handle it, but I just don’t believe all of those people will be shelling out another $30 a month to enable tether.
I think they’re thinking too highly of their product.
The problem is not the iphone, it’s the At&t network. My job recently dumped At&t, using (trying to) data cards on At&t were a headache. You would think, At&t coverage in Los Angeles would be adequate. I kid you not, almost everyday during the week around 5pm, I/we had trouble making a phone call. The excuses we got from At&t were, “we’re working on our towers, that is the peak time, maybe it’s your phone.” BS!!!
3G on Verizon is prretty damn fast. i get 1-2mbps at times on 3g
btw, Rene Ritchie should go as a iphone for halloween..gotta love them fanboys lol
@Wayne (assuming that how was directed at me)
Because the cel networks are not the issue here. Other phone platforms have supported WiFi tethering for years, both on AT&T and on other networks. Jailbroken iPhones have supported WiFi tethering for years even on AT&T, as well. Apple could have enabled this in non-jb iPhones with a software update any time over the past two years, but they have specifically chosen to leave it out. It is Apple’s choice, not AT&Ts.
If it was an issue only with AT&T, we would see WiFi tethering (mobile hotspot) available in other countries/carries. We do not. If it was in issue with cel networks in general, we would not see other platforms offer this feature. We do see other platforms offer it.
Therefore, it is Apple choosing not to enable this feature, either on AT&T, Rogers, or anywhere else. Now, they may very well have good reasons for doing so, but to blame it all on AT&T is quite simply misplaced.
@johnny, Rene lives in Canada, so I’m pretty sure he doesn’t give a shit what AT&T allows because it doesn’t effect him.
@Dev,
You’re talking about wifi tethering, but everyone else is complaining about a lack of any official tethering for iPhone by AT&T. Wifi tethering would be great, but right now I wish they would release any form of tethering just to shutup the critics. Honestly I’m unlikely to use it at all, and yet to have the option would be nice. Frankly (like mms and copy & paste before) I’ll be glad to mark that off the list of “see the iPhone can’t do that”.
Question:
Is tethering actually ALLOWED by AT&T on Android, or is it that they are simply Unable to detect it, and since they didn’t sell you the phone they have no way to enforce their restriction.
FTR: Without careful deep packet inspection you can’t really tell if a station is a cell phone or a tethered workstation.
Using SSL, (https) and turning off your browser ID string you can even frustrate that.
As long as your tethering does not dramatically scale up your data usage, I doubt they would take the effort.
I suspect AT&T is so clueless they would have to ask the NSA to help them with the deep packet inspection.
Is there anyone on here that wants to tether / broadcast a wi-fi hotspot and hasn’t jailbroken? Can’t be many.
I love the iPhone and I think the Att service is good, but this lockdown by Att is a joke. I hope verizon does get the iPhone soon so it will create some competition for the iPhone between carriers.
I trip out on all the bashing of apple knowing android has many shortcomings. Android may allow you to do more things but the system and apps don’t equal that of Apple. Enjoy your freedom or whatever you call it, with a jailbroke I’m way a ahead of you. Apple does things for a reason, a better experience for average users. This site of geeks is not even 1 % of users, so jaibreak if you need more than the average users and enjoy one of the best systems. Quit cruising iPhone sites and bashing just to make yourself feel better about your decision to use Android.
I hate that comment that I read over and over again about people cruising apple sites to bash the iPhone. I and many others here ( I assume ) are phone/gadget lovers and cruise many phone related sites from differing manufacturors os’ so that I can have a good knowledge of all the options that are available.
If I am a N1 user can I not come onto tipb and comment when I feel I have a valid point to make?
Posted from my 3gs
Pos
American carriers are always behind. They always will be due to whatever. Not that long ago, if you asked for a phone with Bluetooth, they would look at you like you were nuts. I even had a tec at alltel tell me Bluetooth would never really catch on. When I told him I needed a Bluetooth phone to connect to my palm so I could connect to the internet, he said why? Are tecs like him still working, and making junk products? Mans you wonder.
Yes you can Kris, but tell the truth about the Android system and Apps. All the switchers make it sound like a match made in heaven when the truth is Android has it’s own problems. Yes, you may have more features out of the box like I said but if you need them on the iPhone jailbreak and you are ahead of Android systems with a superior OS and touch capabilities.
Now if it’s AT&T in your area that stinks that is a different story but where I live I couldn’t ask for much better service when it comes to 3G.
I like Android myself but I don’t think it’s organized enough to switch to that system. If people think control is all bad look at Android it could use some. Carriers and phone manufactures need to get together and have a little more consistency, with Android phones now I would want a new one every three to six months.
Did you know…Jobs said tethering from Iphone to iPad will be a nogo…Really Steve..If people want to have iPad connected to the internet anywhere, besides using a different device other then the iPhone with thethering, you’re forcing them to pay extra for the device, on top of extra monthly charges?????
Big deal, been tethering since day one with my Droid.
@cMc
Yes, I am talking about WiFi tethering, mainly because that is the mode I find most “seamless” and “elegant,” hence my response to the original post. I am glad you, at least, could spot the distinction
Honestly I don’t see the big deal w/ the tethering issue. Just jailbreak your iPhone, download PDANet and problem solved. Plus if AT&T brings tethering to the iPhone it’s going to be another 30 bucks on top of the 30 you pay for data now. Just like it is for Blackberrys or any other smartphone on AT&T. And if Android Users aren’t paying those fees as of late. Trust me, that will change Very Soon. Just jailbreak the phone, then bam, free tethering. It’s not that hard to do.
Let’s be real, as simple as Jail breaking is, the average user still doesn’t want to do that, and furthermore shouldn’t have to. I’ll be glad when 4.0 comes out so we can stop hearing this tired comment.
“Just Jailbreak”. Why void my warranty when I can now have an N1 with full GPS navigation, a faster browser, non draconian app store limitations, a better GUI, and now wireless tethering-out of the box? Android is the beginning of the end for Apple’s short lived dominance in mobile technology.
The real race is “Will the iphone os be able to tether before the android os on the iphone will be able to tether”
google it like to play with Android, I’m happy if there are installation of sculpture and android will always happen definitely next grade or updates. Now it is easier to use wifi calling like ipad, wow … I like it.
Hi.. I’m very late in this post but wanted put in my two cents.
I am on my third 3G (now 4G), cell phone. I have always tethered.
At first, it was Win Mobil old HTC 8525.. usb and bluetooth Then next phone WinMobile HTC ST7377 usb, blue tooth and with app.. wifi to multiple devices (had to change URL for WAP.. just used old one from original phone.) No we have brand new phone… HTC Inspire 4G – Android (awesome), they ATT rep warned me that tethering is not free… I told him, it can be done …. yes thank you PDA Net..
So.. never paid for it, I get 1MBit-2MBit speeds.. I’m happy..