I like this theory, a lot.
Also, I admittedly thought you were talking about the HBO show for a moment.
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Tether Says Apple Pulled iTether App Over Carrier Burden
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Also, I admittedly thought you were talking about the HBO show for a moment.
All the carriers' fault?
If Tether's account of the app approval process is accurate, then it looks like the carriers found the app burdensome on their revenue model and pressured Apple to pull it.
Oversights happen but with an app named iTether it's hard to see how that could have possibly "slipped by" without some one knowing what was going to happen. Maybe this was just a test to see how the carriers would react - how much those exorbitant tethering charges mean to them.
I have an unlimited data plan for my Verizon iPhone, but no one's data is really unlimited if you can't tether it. I'm not going to pay $20 a month just to be able to connect my "unlimited" data to my computer (let alone iPad - they can't have that, heads would roll)
I bought the app, couldn't install the mac or pc software while tether's site was still being swamped. I'll wait and see if it even works, lots of mixed reviews in the app store this morning seemed 50/50.
If Tether's account of the app approval process is accurate, then it looks like the carriers found the app burdensome on their revenue model and pressured Apple to pull it.
Oversights happen but with an app named iTether it's hard to see how that could have possibly "slipped by" without some one knowing what was going to happen. Maybe this was just a test to see how the carriers would react - how much those exorbitant tethering charges mean to them.
I have an unlimited data plan for my Verizon iPhone, but no one's data is really unlimited if you can't tether it. I'm not going to pay $20 a month just to be able to connect my "unlimited" data to my computer (let alone iPad - they can't have that, heads would roll)
I bought the app, couldn't install the mac or pc software while tether's site was still being swamped. I'll wait and see if it even works, lots of mixed reviews in the app store this morning seemed 50/50.
Or you can use one of the posted alternate download sites that has been listed in these forums and download from there. No headaches.
Oh please. No one? You're saying when the iPhone came out companies like Tracfone went out of business?
I know, I know. What I just said can start a whole conversation on the fact that you can't do A, B or C on X, Y or Z alternative carrier. Fine. Maybe some of us can change things ourselves and start a carrier that only carrys "good guys" on their network and only supports app stores with perfect policies. Or we can start a phone manufacturing company that makes phones that run everything everyone wants all the time, but is perfectly safe and offends no one.
I can't officially use my GSM iPhone on any carrier but AT&T (or T-Mobile with limited access) so it's a moot point. You could argue H20, Jolt, or SimpleTalk (and other MNVO's) but the latter requires breaking the T&C of the carrier and all require a jailbroken phone or one unlocked to take advantage of MMS - again limited access. Not to mention the fact that they are utilizing AT&T's network and thus are bound by it's terms (currently no MNVO offer tethering and probably never will until AT&T allows it).
Carriers know that you can't switch to another provider without purchasing a new device - they use this to get away with charging fees like this.
This is why people are not switching carriers in troves once the iPhone became available on other carriers. The fact that people have to wait out their contracts coupled with the cost of purchasing a new device leaves people to stay put.
I'm not sure I agree with most of your post, especially given the seeming back and forth between Apple and Tether with regards to the nature and intent of the app prior to its approval.
Your quote above though is something I'm wondering about. Does Apple have some contractual obligations with US carriers not to allow tethering apps?
Tether still "won"
They made a ton of money, it was the top grossing app in the App store until it got pulled. Sure they could have made a lot more, but I think they should have covered their costs a few times over. At the end of the day they have more $$$$ than they started with.
And their product started on other platforms (Blackberry and Android), only just now being brought (briefly) to iPhone.
They made a ton of money, it was the top grossing app in the App store until it got pulled. Sure they could have made a lot more, but I think they should have covered their costs a few times over. At the end of the day they have more $$$$ than they started with.
And their product started on other platforms (Blackberry and Android), only just now being brought (briefly) to iPhone.
There's no such thing as truly being unlimited. Have you ever really pushed your data plan really high and measured speed, etc? I guarantee they cap you in some way after a certain point.
Bandwidth and money are not unlimited and that's what it would take for the carrier to provide little old you with unlimited bandwidth.
PS. I have a unlimited plan as well, but probably would never even hit 2GB. I'm in the same boat as everyone else with this plan. If I want tethering, I have to drop this plan, only to never get it back.
People haven't been switching in droves because in order to reach that magnitude of people you'd notice, we'd have to have enough people be aware of choice and care enough about these things like we do.
The reality of it is, most people don't really give a crap.
There is no fact that people have to wait out their contracts. There's an early termination fee for a reason. The carriers say, "Here. We've got a brand new iPhone for only $199. Just sign here and agree to pay for the rest of the cost of this phone over the course of 2 years and also agree to the terms we lay out for the use of the iPhone. Thanks!" And when you put pen to paper (or plastic to capacitive touchscreen these days) you say, "Ok! Let's go!"
Hm, while I'd support a change in the system, I doubt this company would have the ability to pressure an entity such as the FTC the way Google did.
Arrrggggg! Stupid iTunes (or stupid user, probably the latter)!!!! I downloaded the iTether app this morning before it was pulled and was just now able to download the Mac app to try it out. So I just plugged my iPhone into my computer and iTunes launched asking me if I wanted to transfer purchases. Stupidly I clicked transfer and now the iTether app is gone! It's not in my iTunes library either so I'm basically screwed. What is the point of iTunes asking if I want to transfer purchases if 1) it isn't going to transfer them to my Mac, and 2) it's going to delete them from my iPhone? Does anybody know a way to get the app back?
Perhaps but then the problem wouldn't be with the carriers but with the government not willing to protect small companies against anti-competitive behavior from larger ones. That would be a rather interesting thing to have revealed. Tether should write a detailed complaint to the FTC and wait to see what kind of reply they get.
Agreed. The greater point is, if these companies or us as customers who support these companies, want to change these things, we need to speak to the powers that be more. And don't point the finger at me because I've actually written congress and the BBB about this stuff before.
Probably user mined synced just find and shows up on both my itunes and phone still.
And then you'll complain about your battery life
Hoooooot-Pock-ets!
If you still want to use this app, and don't want to use jailbreak apps to tether, it is available on installous. I have tested it and it does work.
--forever--
This has me wondering.. if it is available through Installous, if someone took a jailbroken iPhone, pulled the app down, and transferred the purchase back into their iTunes library, would the app be able to be synced to a vanilla, OOB iPhone 4S?
BL.
I hate all carriers!
I wish they would just offer a REASONABLE tethering options for the 'occasional' need. Believe me, no one wants their laptop at 3G speed all the time. I just wish I don't need to pay at least $20+ on an already overpriced plan to use 50 MB of data that I already paid for.
I wish they would just offer a REASONABLE tethering options for the 'occasional' need. Believe me, no one wants their laptop at 3G speed all the time. I just wish I don't need to pay at least $20+ on an already overpriced plan to use 50 MB of data that I already paid for.
No, since AppSync will be required for the app to actually install onto your device.
Or, you can have someone send you a certificate and provisioning profile to install the cracked apps onto your iDevice without a jailbreak, no matter what copy of iOS you're running. PM me for more information.
I'm not understanding your argument. The carriers build the network and their only interest is having you as their customer. Why would a carrier want you to buy a phone that enables you to access another companies network? That's counterproductive to their business strategy.
I could be wrong, but it seems the underlying position of your argument is that the mobile device is the end product and once purchased you should be able to use it as you please. That's not accurate, at least not in the States. The end product is the ability to use the network and the mobile device is simply the access point that grants you the various services available on said network. Sure, GSM phones are built with a SIM card that can be changed, but like we are seeing with the iPhone SIM access is not intended to be available to the end user.
It's not unlike the relationship between Mac computers and OSX. They are intended to go together to provide an overall user experience. AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint want you to have an overall user experience on their network and a part of that experience is getting to select your own network exclusive mobile device. Just like computers, mobile devices have different feature sets that come with differening price tags. As the market grows and technology advances features and their associated costs will fluctuate. However, regardless of the changes, each network will continue to pursue ways to keep you as a customer on their network. That's just basic business.
I already pay for unlimited data. I can use it how I wish. Getting tethering for no extra cost (using what I'm already paying for) is the main reason I jailbreak. This app would have allowed me to skip that, which would have been nice. Now I guess I'll have to endure the jailbreak upgrade treadmill.