The Channel Wire

August 29, 2008

The Apple rumor mill just won't quit. A day after CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs was prematurely announced dead, now comes speculation that the company will work with iPhone carrier AT&T to provide tethering capabilities.

By tethering, laptop users can use a mobile phone's wireless data connection to access the Internet. iPhone 3G users were geared up to use a tethering app from Nullriver called NetShare.

According to Web site Gizmado, the application sets up a SOCKS5 proxy to get laptop/computer online through use of the 3G/EDGE connection, although it is very slow going. NetShare, according to Gizmado, was briefly available on iPhone, then removed, then up again and finally removed.

Now the site is reporting that one of its readers sent the following message to the still breathing Jobs.

"AT&T offers data plans for BlackBerry that includes tethering for an additional $30 per month (a total of $60 per month for the BlackBerry+tethering plan). It seems ludicrous that the same thing is not offered with the iPhone. I understand the desire to prevent tethering with the current data plan, but I am willing to pay more money to allow tethering! With such an advanced device, why can I not do so?" Jobs (reportedly alive), supposedly sent the following response to the message:

"We agree, and are discussing it with ATT. Steve Sent from my iPhone"

The Tether hubbub will undoubtedly keep Apple fans on the edge of their seats this week-end. In the meantime, while we can't confirm it, we're pretty sure that Jobs is alive. Stay tuned.