So long NetShare, we hardly knew you. It seems that despite some hope, Nullriver’s NetShare app will not be making its return to the App Store, and those who managed to grab it on those two brief appearances will end up having the only available copies.
Nullriver has not yet posted any additional information on their website, however according to a recent Wired story, Apple is currently “reviewing user contracts with providers, including AT&T.” Which means that its out almost for sure here in the US, because according to the AT&T Terms and Conditions:
“Furthermore, plans(unless specifically designated for tethering usage) cannot be used for any applications that tether the device (through use of, including without limitation, connection kits, other phone/PDA-to computer accessories, Bluetooth® or any other wireless technology) to Personal Computers (including without limitation, laptops), or other equipment for any purpose.”
Hopefully some other carriers across the globe will be a little more user friendly and allow it in. Personally I think AT&T is making a mistake, I would even be willing to pay an extra fee that would allow me to tether legally.
This does bring up some good questions though as to the actual approval process for new apps. Surely someone at Apple had to be aware that this was not going to sit well with some of the carriers. I can only imagine the frustration felt by developers, especially those who are receiving an approval only to have their app pulled from the store quickly after.
So, assuming that NetShare does not make a return in any form, that still leaves a big question as to just how Apple and the carriers will handle it. Certainly there are records of the purchase, will the apps be disabled and money refunded or will be be able to continue using it at our own risk?
[Wired]
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August 9th, 2008 at 10:56 am
While I agree with the conclusion (it likely won’t be back), I do think that you (and most of the other sites) have missed a subtle but important point. The AT&T T&Cs is a contract between AT&T and their customers, not between Apple at AT&T. The fact that AT&T’s contract with their customers forbids something does not necessarily have any bearing on what Apple does. Yes, it’s quite possible that AT&T’s contract with *Apple* forbids them from distributing iPhone apps that encourage or enable users to violate their contracts, but no one outside of Apple and AT&T really knows that.
If NetShare doesn’t come back, it will be either because Apple doesn’t want to damage their relationship with the carriers, or because their contract forbids it. NOT because the customer T&Cs forbids it (directly, at least).
August 14th, 2008 at 12:10 am
AT&T do have a tethering option. It is not advertised. It costs $60/month. Same as their laptop wireless card. It is not specific to the iPhone either - same price to get tethering with a Blackberry.
Expensive enough that it might as well not exist. My way around it is to download stuff to the iPhone then either usb or wifi it across to my laptop (has ad-hoc networking if needed). Legal, uses the same bandwidth as tethering, but does not violate the terms, so they. just. lose.
T-Mobile include it for free in their WM6 phones - as the “Internet Sharing” application. But WM6 sucks, T-Mobile’s coverage sucks, and so far, betwenn them and Verizon, only AT&T has coverage where I really need it in my rural location, so I am stuck. But I like the phone. It has the only browser that is actually useable.
August 14th, 2008 at 5:42 am
AT&T’s Laptop Connect is available, and very expensive, but its not available for the iPhone at all. currently NetShare is the only way to tether your iPhone.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I picked up my iPhone yesterday at an AT&T store and was told tethering is available, at that excessive price of $60. Of course, the salesperson (their iPhone resident expert) could have been mistaken.
But I will never really know since I refuse to pay that much for a service I would use perhaps twice a month, and only for entertainment at that. The iPhone itself handles my mail just fine, and that is what I really need constant access for. Safari mobile also rocks.
But I have not yet succeeded in my stated solution, although DataCase comes close. Nor yet given up. I may end up writing my own app.
On another note: no stereo Bluetooth? No usb bulk storage access mode (DataCase fixes this mostly)? No voice dialing? Does Steve use his own products? Or is it just that I have not yet found the right part of the user manual?