As an alternative to waiting for this official release, jailbroken iPhones have been able to do this for a while now, with no tethering fees from your carrier.
1) because its more descriptive to call it WiFi Router
2) calling it HotSpot means they get to tact on another fee for that feature. Maybe something like: $14 - for tethering enabled, another $20 - to enabled HotSpot.
Afraid not. Unlocked just means you can use whatever GSM carrier you wish. Carrier-dependent features (MMS, tethering) are controlled by IPCC files (known as 'Carrier Updates') which are downloaded depending on the carrier you are using.
In the old days (3.0 and below) you could get access to features unsupported by AT&T (MMS, tethering..) by modifying a carrier file and applying it to your phone via iTunes, no jailbreak required. As of 3.1 however these files are now signed to prevent tampering.
Given that our carriers (Fido, Telus, Bell, Rogers) don't charge extra for tethering (inexplicably), I would imagine this feature isn't going to be restricted on our networks. Your phone's unlockedness, however, doesn't affect the matter at all, as the limitation is determined by the network itself (or rather, by the carrier updates to support the networks themselves).
I would guess that it works the same as tethering. (Well, it is tethering, only via Wi-Fi and not Bluetooth or a cable.)
Carriers can turn tethering on and off so I also wouldn’t expect this to work with every carrier. It has been possible to circumvent these carrier preferences in the past, though. I just don’t know whether that’s still possible and whether that will be possible in the future.
It will probably be $20 per month on Verizon. That is what it charges currently for other phones.
Verizon did make this service free on the Palm Pre, so it's possible it could be free for the iPhone 4 as well. But I think that was more because the Palm Pre was unpopular whereas the iPhone will be plenty popular.
I doubt it. While logic might support this, the user experience won't.
The beauty of 3G iPad is the instant on, instant access nature of the connection. Currently getting a connection on my Mac via iPhone tethering takes about 20-30 seconds. I'd rather pay $14.99 and have it all the time, like I do on the iPad. The experience is far superior.
Probably not... using the iPhone as a wifi AP is going to drain the battery even faster, and one would imagine there are a lot of people who want an ipad but not an iphone.
Why is this news? I thought this had been available on AT&T for sometime... and Verizon has had this feature for well over a year (really, longer for plain ole tethering) on Android phones.
Or is it just the distinction between tethering and "personal hotspot"? I suppose I'm used to my free "Wireless Tether" as "tethering" where it more meets Apple and Verizon's description of "personal hotspot".
Whatever, they just want to call it that to make it seem more justifiable that VZW's going to charge extra for it.
Not to mention that it´s free on Verizon´s webOS phones. Virtually all of the smartphones that had a wifi card in the Verizon store when I last went had Wifi-tethering, although it usually cost extra. Not to mention that bluetooth and USB tethering has been available for ages, although not as fast (in case of Bluetooth) or convenient.
[+] [-] smackfu|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] amackera|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pedanticfreak|15 years ago|reply
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/12/ios-4-3-beta-arrives-for-...
[+] [-] d2viant|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vinhboy|15 years ago|reply
1) because its more descriptive to call it WiFi Router 2) calling it HotSpot means they get to tact on another fee for that feature. Maybe something like: $14 - for tethering enabled, another $20 - to enabled HotSpot.
[+] [-] extension|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ajg1977|15 years ago|reply
In the old days (3.0 and below) you could get access to features unsupported by AT&T (MMS, tethering..) by modifying a carrier file and applying it to your phone via iTunes, no jailbreak required. As of 3.1 however these files are now signed to prevent tampering.
[+] [-] danudey|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ugh|15 years ago|reply
Carriers can turn tethering on and off so I also wouldn’t expect this to work with every carrier. It has been possible to circumvent these carrier preferences in the past, though. I just don’t know whether that’s still possible and whether that will be possible in the future.
[+] [-] yesimahuman|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] RyanMcGreal|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] irons|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pedanticfreak|15 years ago|reply
Verizon did make this service free on the Palm Pre, so it's possible it could be free for the iPhone 4 as well. But I think that was more because the Palm Pre was unpopular whereas the iPhone will be plenty popular.
[+] [-] tocomment|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] r3demon|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] joebananas|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] AndyParkinson|15 years ago|reply
The beauty of 3G iPad is the instant on, instant access nature of the connection. Currently getting a connection on my Mac via iPhone tethering takes about 20-30 seconds. I'd rather pay $14.99 and have it all the time, like I do on the iPad. The experience is far superior.
[+] [-] dedward|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] drivebyacct2|15 years ago|reply
Or is it just the distinction between tethering and "personal hotspot"? I suppose I'm used to my free "Wireless Tether" as "tethering" where it more meets Apple and Verizon's description of "personal hotspot".
Whatever, they just want to call it that to make it seem more justifiable that VZW's going to charge extra for it.
[+] [-] jawee|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kordless|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Void_|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] santaprem|15 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] quattrofan|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] xutopia|15 years ago|reply