Apple says 'No' to iPad tethering

Paul Nesbitt

Apple will not permit owners of WiFi-only iPads to tether their devices to their 3G smartphones. And the word comes from on high – Steve Jobs himself.

Swedish technology site, Slashat.se emailed the Apple CEO with a simple question: ‘Will the WiFi-only version [of the iPad] somehow support tethering thru my iPhone?’

To the site’s surprise, Steve Jobs replied to their email. His answer was unequivocal to say the least. ‘No,’ he wrote, followed by a footer, which read ‘Sent from my iPhone.’

Jobs’ reply poses some interesting questions about who will buy the iPad. If you own an iPhone and so have a 3G contract with a network, you are surely going to think twice before taking on a separate 3G contract for your iPad. So by buying a WiFi-only iPad you can get around this deal breaker.

By tethering your iPad (connecting it to your iPhone and using its 3G connection) you can access the Internet without requiring a separate network contract.

Apple’s stance on the iPad is puzzling for a number of reasons. While many observers have suggested that Apple’s hand has been tied by the networks, iPhone 3.0 includes support for tethering. And in the UK, O2, Vodafone, and Orange offer iPhone tethering contracts for laptop owners. And in the US,Apple s AT&T has at least promised to offer iPhone tethering, although it has yet to deliver on its pledges.