iTether is back for the iPhone and iPad. But this time it comes with a new name — Tether for iPhone — and in the form of an HTML5 app that circumvents Apple’s App Store entirely.
iTether originally launched an iPhone app last November. The $14.99 app allowed you to tether your iPhone to a computer and use it as a web connection without paying any additional fees for your carrier.
The app was particularly attractive for people who have unlimited data plans, and particularly unattractive to mobile carriers who traditionally charge to enable the tethering or hotspot capability on smartphones. While it did initially make it into the App Store, iTether was removed by Apple shortly after launch with the claim that it “burdens the carrier network.â€
The HTML5 Tether for iPhone will be available next week for $15 a year, and you can pre-order it now from theTether site here. After its initial launch week, Tether will be increasing the subscription price to $30 a year.
“It was clear from our initial application, iTether, there was enormous demand within the iPhone ecosystem,†says Tim Burke, CEO of Tether. “It was unfortunate that Apple decided to remove our application only 20 hours after we launched. However, this caused us to innovate. Our underlying patent-pending technology behind Tether for iPhone is unlike anything on the market.â€
The new version of iTether is purely based on HTML5 and creates a wireless connection over Ad-Hoc mode. With the HTML5 version there’s no need to purchase an app from the App Store, and the service can work on any web-connected iPad or iPhone.
Tether currently provides tethering services to over 500,000 users on Android and BlackBerry devices, as well as the few who were able to scoop up iTether in November before it was removed.
“Look to innovate when the world is pushing you back!†Tether CMO Patrick Hankinson told Mashable. “There are quite a few great apps that Apple has removed over the years that could definitely be built over HTML5.â€
[mashable]
