No iPad Tethering? AT&T says Talk to Apple

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://gizmodo.com/5554905/you-wont-be-able-to-tether-an-ipad-to-an-iphone' target='_blank'>http://gizmodo.com/5554905/you-wont...ad-to-an-iphone</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"What's going on, AT&amp;T? You give us tethering options on our iPhones, but make us give up unlimited data plans in return. Now you're saying we can't tether our iPads to our iPhones even if we jump through that hoop?"</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1275619413.usr105634.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>This makes no sense to me. I'm hoping that it is going to be fixed in the fall with the new OS since according to AT&amp;T it isn't their fault, it is Apple's fault. If that is the case, I can't see why Apple would care if you tether your iPhone to your iPad. I'm thinking that as more news comes out about the plans for pricing and what restrictions there may be, that I may not be a happy camper. Oh, and Steve Jobs apparently doesn't like tethering to the iPad <a href="http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/03/05/reader_steve_jobs_says_no_tethering_between_ipad_and_iphone.html" target="_blank">according to this story</a> at Apple Insider. What are your thoughts?</p>

[Sven Johannsen]

OK, I'm confused. From the linked article
[A]n AT&T spokeswoman told us via email today that it won't be possible to tether the iPhone to the iPad to share Internet access with the Apple slate, citing the fact that the iPad doesn't have any USB ports to enable a wired connection between the devices.
That seems to imply you cant use the iPad's 3G connection to get access to the internet on your iPhone, i.e. tether your iPhone to your iPad.

I would think most people would want to tether their iPad to their to their iPhone, using the iPhone 3G connection (which you have to get) to access the web on your iPad. That I can do with the iPad and WM phone today, setting up the WM phone as a WiFi hotspot, and using WiFi on the iPad to connect to the WM phone and routed through it to the 3G cell connection.

It sounds like the 'router' function in the new OS only works coming into the router (iPhone) on USB, or maybe BT. I expect the USB capability on the iPad doesn't support that. That is an Apple limitation. This doesn't stop you from using a laptop through the iPhone, via USB, as it appears the iPhone will support that function, tethering through it with a cable.

If it is really that you can't use the iPad as a router, that would make technical sense if the USB limitations exist, again it would be an Apple issue, not an AT&T one, but why would you want to?