An App Store app called iTether got a lot of attention a few months ago for allowing free 3G tethering from any iPhone. Despite the fact that carriers don’t officially support such activity apart from their exorbitant data plans, Apple originally approved iTether. The app shot to the top of the charts before it was pulled less than a day later. If you didn’t get your hands on it then, you were out of luck.
The creators of iTether are announcing something big today. Tether is launching a new HTML5 web app for the iPhone that lets you tether your 3G-enabled iPhone or iPad to any wireless-enabled device. No monthly fee. No jailbreak required.
“It was clear from our initial application iTether, there was enormous demand within the iPhone ecosystem,” says Tim Burke, CEO of Tether. “It was unfortunate that Apple decided to remove our application, only 20 hours after we launched. However, this caused us to innovate. Our underlying patent-pending technology behind Tether for iPhone is unlike anything on the market.
Unlike any other tethering solution (unsupported or otherwise) out there, Tether’s new app is entirely web-based. You don’t need to buy the app in the App Store or the jailbreak Cydia store. It creates a wireless connection over AdHoc that any device can connect to.
As part of the launch promotion, the new Tether service will be available for $15/year through the end of next week. It will then cost $30/year. More information can be found on the Tether website.
Alex Heath is a journalist who works for Tech Insider. He’s the former co-host of The CultCast. He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like “ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation.” He lives in Lexington, Kentucky. If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Follow him on Twitter.
14 responses to “Tether Releases HTML5 Web App To Allow Tethering From iPhone, No Jailbreak Required”
Apple blacklisting their website in the iPhone hosts file in 5. 4. 3. 2…
Does this void any type of contract with Verizon. I know the jailbreak app will get people in trouble with Verizon or at&t.
I would like to see this working with an iPhone to iPad.. I’d buy this in a second.
But at $15/year? I think I’ll get it anyways.. but I’m crossing my fingers AT&T doesn’t boot me from unlimited.
Oh and Section 8 states in their ToS:
8. Allocation of Risk. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU MAY INCUR ADDITIONAL CARRIER COSTS, AND THAT YOUR PLAN MAY BE TERMINATED BY YOUR CARRIER FOR VIOLATION OF YOUR CARRIER’S FAIR USE POLICY OR TERMS OF SERVICE. BY USING ANY MATERIALS OR PRODUCTS YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT, THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD AND AGREE TO THE DISCLAIMERS CONTAINED IN THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT.YOU AGREE THAT THE ABOVE WARRANTIES AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY REFLECT THE ALLOCATION OF RISK AMONG THE PARTIES AND THE PRICE OF THE SOFTWARE.
I signed up, been trying for the past half hour to actually have it connect, even willing to risk the loss of contract, won’t even connect. So… yeah, FAIL
it doesn’t work… literally have been trying for an hour now w/ no luck and im very computer literate…
they’d warn you first, not just boot ya : D
Nice try, AT&T guy.
I believe you meant exorbitant, not exuberant.
No monthly fee? That’s not true at all. Â Sure you don’t pay monthly, but it isn’t free.
it does not work… no reason to lie
if caught. I use mine (only once in awhile and have fore a long time) if you are casual and just tether for a small ount of time they won’t catch you (knock on wood) ;-)
I don’t get it, $15/$30 a year for a service that will probably alert your carrier…? Wouldn’t it just be cheaper to tether legally?
Has anyone actually got this working?
Alex, it would have been a tremendous service to your readers had you actually tested and reviewed this.
I didn’t know that any APIs were exposed to web applications to create ad-hoc wireless network connections. Does this use a browser exploit?