June 14th in iPad News by

iPad Prevents iPhone Tethering

AT&T announced new pricing options for the iPad and iPhone, putting an end to unlimited data plans while announcing that they will offer data tethering for the iPhone and other smartphone customers for $20 a month.

Unfortunately if you are the owner of the Wi-Fi version of the iPad, tethering will not be an option for you unless you are willing to jailbreak your iPhone and use this hack.

According to one report, tethering between the iPhone and iPad is not possible due to an iPad limitation, not because of a policy instituted by AT&T.  The limitation?  Evidently the iPad does not support tethering either through USB or Bluetooth.

When asked about the tethering issue,  an AT&T representative told TechFlash that it “won’t be possible to tether the iPhone to the iPad to share Internet access with the Apple slate, citing the fact that the iPad doesn’t have any USB ports to enable a wired connection between the devices.”

According to Apple, tethering for the iPhone 3GS with iPhone OS 3.0 is possible through either a USB cable or Bluetooth, albeit not in the U.S.  That will change with the upcoming release of iPhone OS 4, when tethering will finally be available on the network of AT&T.

The lack of iPad tethering doesn’t come as a complete shock, however.  While disappointing, Steve Jobs confirmed lack of iPad tethering in a March email to a Swedish man.  The individual asked the Apple CEO if one would be able to tether with the Wi-Fi iPad, and received response simply stating, “No.”

Through a software update it is possible that Apple may eventually include Wi-Fi iPad tethering in the future, but as of today nothing is certain.

For those using the network of AT&T does the news disappoint you after learning that tethering through the iPhone would be available through Apple’s new data pricing structure?

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Chief Overseer of C4 Universe, attorney, write for C4 Universe, The Next Web, iPad Fan, and other sites. On any social network under jffcrmr. http://about.me/jffcrmr

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  • Mogmios

    Or tell AT&T where to go and do a simple jailbreak and a few seconds later your iPhone or iPad (whichever is 3G) will be acting as a WiFi access point.

  • scottnej

    It's definitely not a shock. Is it disappointing to hear that Apple / At&t doesn't let you tether the Ipad? Yes. While I love the Ipad… I grow more and more disgusted with the business style and decisitons being made by Apple / At&t. They ONLY decision the've made that Surprises me is the monthy data plan available through the Ipad. This is great. Neither one of these two companies understand that most people thinking having to pay for internet connections on every device is robbery.

  • Jigga

    You say you can by jailbreaking the iPhone, but then say its an iPad limitation. Those don't jive… IMHO the ability is in there, Apple and AT&T just have an agreement not to turn it on. What they should do is make it so ONLY the iPhone can tether with the iPad.. that way they might sell more iPhones – thats not a bad business decision

  • ipad

    it is possible by an iphone hack
    thetering via WLAN

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