[Hawkeye_a]

Currently i tether my iPhone to my Mac for a net connection, which works great.

I was wondering if the iPad (WiFi + 3G) will have the same ability ?

The reason i ask is because i was just about to sign up for a wireless broadband service which proved me with a 3G-USB stick, and it occurred to me that if the iPad is capable of that function, it might be worth waiting for the iPad.

Cheers

[AKcrab]

iPad will not tether.

[Simon]

n/m

[mduell]

Do you mean tether the iPad to the Mac or the iPhone to the iPad?

Someone claimed to get a response from SJobs that the latter is not supported.

[::maroma::]

They would sell a lot less 3G iPads if they allowed tethering with it (although I suspect they'd sell a lot more Wifi iPads if they allowed it). I desperately want it to tether as well, as I don't see why I need to give AT&T more of my money when I'm paying for "unlimited" 3G access as it is.

Maybe one day they'll open up the tethering thing.

Quick question - how are you tethering your iPhone to your computer exactly?

[Cold Warrior]

@maroma
If the provider supports it, it's an option in iPhone's settings. If not supported, it's done via jailbreaking iPhone.

[::maroma::]

Ahh, thanks Cold Warrior. I'm assuming good ole AT&T doesn't allow that here in the Land of the Free.

[danbrew]

I get tethering with an iPhone or some other type of phone - because you probably already have a data plan. I can't for the life of me begin to understand why somebody would want a 3G version of the iPad - why send another check to AT&T? Unless you got no phone. I guess there are some folks that don't have phones. I bought a Wifi iPad and plan on using it with hotspots + a Verizon Mifi. I use the Mifi for connectivity when I'm out and about and will use it with the iPad. Nice.

[slugslugslug]

If you don’t already have a MiFi or a carrier that has a MiFi-like device—that is, something that will share a cellular connection as a Wi-Fi hotspot—then you can’t access 3G via the Wi-Fi only iPad. Just having any old phone with a data plan won’t help (unless/until someone figures out how to jailbreak the iPad and enable Bluetooth tethering).

[Hawkeye_a]

What i want to do is..... using an iPad 3G data connection, connect it to my Mac and use the iPads connection via 3G for net access on my Mac.

Im not trying to connect my iphone to the ipad, or use my mac as the internet gateway for the iPad.

What i want to know is, using an iPad 3G connection, can i tether it to my Mac, the same way i currently tether my iPhone to the Mac for internet access on my Mac.

Tethering an iPhone to the ipad for 3G internet access is what is not available apparently, that wasn't my question.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye_a 

What i want to know is, using an iPad 3G connection, can i tether it to my Mac, the same way i currently tether my iPhone to the Mac for internet access on my Mac.

There have been screenshots showing the same settings available for tethering on the iPad as on the iPhone. If that makes it to the device (and it's not just a leftover in the SDK) it'll be the same situation as on the iPhone. IOW it will depend on your carrier. However, it didn't become clear to me if these settings were all available or if there was "hacking" involved to make them appear.

The other way around (tethering an iPad Wifi off a 3G phone) we already know won't work for sure. Thanks, Steve.

[ghporter]

If you're on AT&T, as soon as you connect the iPhone to a computer and turn on tethering, the option goes away. I found this out yesterday... I'll bet they do the same thing with the iPad.

[taldrich]

Well I have been unable to connect my iPad to my iPhone via Bluetooth. Steve has now said that you can't tether the iPad. I am incredibly disappointed. Why on earth would I want to pay extra for a 3g iPad when I already have a 3G phone? If it can do it, it should do it. This is a big negative on Apple in my book.

[frdmfghtr]

Originally Posted by taldrich 

Well I have been unable to connect my iPad to my iPhone via Bluetooth. Steve has now said that you can't tether the iPad. I am incredibly disappointed. Why on earth would I want to pay extra for a 3g iPad when I already have a 3G phone? If it can do it, it should do it. This is a big negative on Apple in my book.

Yes, it is a bit of a negative. On the plus side, at least the data plan on the 3G iPad is month-to-month: no contracts, and you can get a tiered data plan (250 MB for $15, unlimited data for $30) only on the months you need it.

That was what justified it in my book...tiered 3G with no contract.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by taldrich 

Well I have been unable to connect my iPad to my iPhone via Bluetooth. Steve has now said that you can't tether the iPad. I am incredibly disappointed. Why on earth would I want to pay extra for a 3g iPad when I already have a 3G phone? If it can do it, it should do it. This is a big negative on Apple in my book.

Seconded. It's really a bummer you can't tether the iPad off of an iPhone. I bought unlimited 3G and paid for it. It works just fine for my MBP. So why shouldn't it work for the iPad? Unfortunately the only explanation I can come up with is that it's an extra "incentive" to buy the iPad 3G. Smells a bit like money grab.

[-Q-]

Originally Posted by Simon 

Seconded. It's really a bummer you can't tether the iPad off of an iPhone. I bought unlimited 3G and paid for it. It works just fine for my MBP. So why shouldn't it work for the iPad? Unfortunately the only explanation I can come up with is that it's an extra "incentive" to buy the iPad 3G. Smells a bit like money grab.

I'd like to think that the primary motivation was ease of use for the end user but you're probably right: pure money grab.

While syncing your iPhone to your iPad via Bluetooth and then activating tethering so the iPad has an internet connection is probably more complex than the average user wants to deal with, it's certainly not something that is so complex apple couldn't make it happen in an app or scripted setting.

[taldrich]

It is an absolute money grab, and goes against a key element of the Apple ethos: that they make devices that are slicker and cleverer, that work together in clever ways.

I really never thought I'd see Apple deliberately hobble a product in this way.

[::maroma::]

Is it Apple or AT&T?

[Simon]

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

Is it Apple or AT&T?

Since we're talking about tethering the iPad off of an iPhone (or any other smartphone for that matter) it's definitely Apple.

[-Q-]

Originally Posted by Simon 

Since we're talking about tethering the iPad off of an iPhone (or any other smartphone for that matter) it's definitely Apple.

Not sure we can conclusively say that, considering iPhones in the rest of the world can tether except for those of us stuck with AT&T in the states.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Simon 

Since we're talking about tethering the iPad off of an iPhone (or any other smartphone for that matter) it's definitely Apple.

It is possible that Apple is following the iPhone tethering playbook.

First they didn't allow it at all, because they needed to protect the interests of the carriers.
When it became clear that some carriers would allow tethering, Apple allowed it as well.

It makes sense that Apple doesn't want to set a precedence before all the details with the carriers regarding the iPad 3G are hammered out. I think it's entirely possible that some carriers will allow tethering of the iPad off of an iPhone.

I'm not holding my breath for AT&T though.

-t

[Simon]

Originally Posted by -Q- 

Not sure we can conclusively say that, considering iPhones in the rest of the world can tether except for those of us stuck with AT&T in the states.

I'm afraid you don't understand which type of tethering we're talking about.

We're talking about tethering an iPad via BT to any 3G phone that supports it. This is about the iPad's BT capabilities and has nothing to do with carriers or phones. The same way every Mac supports tethering to a phone over BT, the iPad could in principle do the same. But it doesn't. And obviously that's entirely Apple's responsibility and has nothing to do with carriers or their policies.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

It is possible that Apple is following the iPhone tethering playbook.

No. It has nothing to do with tethering on the iPhone. See my post above.

This is not about tethering from an iPad 3G (which might be related to tethering on the iPhone). It's about using the iPad's BT to connect to any phone on any network. It's a BT software support issue. IOW it's an iPad OS issue. And hence it's entirely within Apple's responsibility. It has absolutely nothing to do with AT&T. Just like BT tethering a Mac has nothing to do with AT&T.

[-Q-]

You're absolutely right, Simon. I was being a bit myopic in the tethering discussion. There's absolutely no reason I shouldn't be able to tether my iPad to my wife's blackberry, for instance.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Simon 

No. It has nothing to do with tethering on the iPhone. See my post above.

This is not about tethering from an iPad 3G (which might be related to tethering on the iPhone). It's about using the iPad's BT to connect to any phone on any network. It's a BT software support issue. IOW it's an iPad OS issue. And hence it's entirely within Apple's responsibility. It has absolutely nothing to do with AT&T. Just like BT tethering a Mac has nothing to do with AT&T.

No.

The non-existing tethering in the iPhone was also "an [...] OS issue. And hence [...] entirely within Apple's responsibility." No difference.

All I'm saying is that we don't know the exact reasons WHY Apple doesn't allow it (yet). We might see BT tethering to phones activated at later point, just as we got it with the iPhone.

-t

[Simon]

The iPad and the iPhone are entirely unrelated when it comes to tethering off another phone.

If you want to compare the iPad to something else it has to be the iPod touch. And it's the same story there. It's entirely Apple's responsibility. Apple takes the blame, not AT&T.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Simon 

The iPad and the iPhone are entirely unrelated when it comes to tethering off another phone.

If you want to compare the iPad to something else it has to be the iPod touch. And it's the same story there. It's entirely Apple's responsibility. Apple takes the blame, not AT&T.

I don't see the difference.

iPhone to laptop tethering: potentially hurts the carrier by consuming much higher bandwidth.

iPhone / mobile phone to iPad tethering: potentially hurts the carrier by consuming much higher bandwidth.

( iPad 3G to laptop tethering: potentially hurts the carrier by consuming much higher bandwidth. )


Apple might (again) have the carriers in mind, not wanting to allow the high bandwidth consumption until things are cleared with the carriers.

-t

[Simon]

So you're saying they put the carriers before their customers?

Even in countries where carriers have no problem throwing in free unlimited tethering with every unlimited 3G contract they sell?

How likely is that?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Simon 

So you're saying they put the carriers before their customers?

Even in countries where carriers have no problem throwing in free unlimited tethering with every unlimited 3G contract they sell?

How likely is that?

Dude, it's APPLE.

They DID put the carriers before their customers when they initially didn't allow iPhone tethering.
WTF is your point ?

-t

[Simon]

Right now my point is that you need to calm down. The WTF baloney doesn't work with me.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Simon 

Right now my point is that you need to calm down. The WTF baloney doesn't work with me.

*I* need to calm down because you argued yourself into corner ?

Fine.

-t

[Simon]

Umm, no. Because you're asking me to explain an argument to you. If you're really interested just ask. If not, please spare us the tough guy behind the keyboard nonsense.

Now, let's be nice and I'll assume you're interested. So Short summary:

We discussed why iPads cannot be tethered to any kind of phone. Two people were interested if it was "Apple or AT&T". To which I replied that it was Apple alone since we are talking about tethering a device to any kind of phone on any kind of network. Then there was some confusion about which tethering we were talking about. We clarified that we were talking about tethering an iPad wifi off of any phone (not tethering to an iPad 3G). We also discussed reasons for Apple to do something as silly as this. Money grab so far got the most votes. You brought up Apple being worried about network load. Which I in turn consider unlikely since a) all their other computing devices tether just fine b) many networks encourage unlimited 3G buyers to tether c) it works fine all around the globe (minus AT&T) every day and d) if a specific network is overloaded by tethering the proper cause of action is to charge for it on that network. Not blocking all your customers across the entire world from using something that works just fine elsewhere.

[turtle777]

I think we can agree that Apple *has* done silly things in the past (like blocking tethering on the iPhone 3G), and that Apple is never immune to repeating seemingly stupid decisions.

Obviously, the primary reason for the lack of tethering in the iPad is Apple. It's them because they control the code.

All I said was that Apple might have had REASONS why they thought it would be a good idea not to allow tethering. Of course, those reasons could be silly, just as they were with the iPhone 3G.

The main point where you seemed to disagree above was that the two tethering issues (iPhone 3G and iPad) could be connected. I think they could be, both in light of the implications for the carrier.
That doesn't rule the "money grab" motive out, Apple can have more than one motive to do something.

-t