I know, change is hard. But that didn’t stop you from enabling tethering when iOS 4.0 came along, and that worked out just fine! Besides, just think about how many people you can kick off of those pesky grandfathered-in unlimited plans. And not only will their data be capped now, they’ll be paying for up to five devices’ worth of downloads. I haven’t run the exact numbers, but I’m pretty sure that’ll net you about 58 kajillion dollars (EBITDA).
And honestly – should I even be telling you this? – it’s not like we don’t already use our iPhones as hotspots. The jailbreakers among us have been using MyWi for ages. It’s compatible with any iPhone (even 2G!) and iPad iOS 3.1.2 or later. And it’s just 20 bucks. That’s $US20 that’s going to a Cydia app instead of your coffers. Galling, right? Doesn’t have to be!
Besides, at this point mobile hotspot is pretty much table stakes for high-end smartphones. At least, your competitors certainly seem to think so. It’s been built into Android since May, for goodness sake! T-Mobile’s Nexus S, Sprint’s Evo 4G and Epic 4G, Verizon’s, uh, iPhone 4. The omission’s starting to be a glaring one, AT&T.
Is it the network you’re worried about? It’s true, you do have a tough enough time as it is. But what better way to prove that all that backhaul work and cell site activation hasn’t just been a desperate attempt to keep your head above water? That you’re actually ready for the future? Most of all, that we shouldn’t abandon ship?
Look, you’ve got some time. A couple of months, at most, to decide whether you’re going to offer a fully functional iPhone or an idiot step-brother. I think we both know what makes.
Oh, and don’t hold out until iPhone 5 so we all have to upgrade. That’s just obnoxious.
Tøe Hansen
Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 12:29 PMmy guess is that if your carrier lets you use internet tethering, it’ll let you use the hotspot feature.
Greg
Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 2:01 PMWhat a laugh. Android users have been doing this, without any “carrier support” (read: “artificial restriction”) for years.
wabuckys
Friday, January 14, 2011 at 12:48 PMYou can laugh smugly about artificial restriction from carriers all you like but the biggest joke to us iPhone users is that it’s your carrier that decides when you can update the Android OS – often it’s months after it has been released! Now THAT’S carrier restriction, & I can’t figure out why Android users accept meekly accept it.
Me
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 5:38 PM@wabuckys
My carrier doesn’t decide when I can update the Android OS. I can wait until Verizon, Sprint, AT&T or T-Mobile release the update, or I can get the update on my ROOTED phone when Google releases it. Not much different than a jailbroken iphone.
The reason it seems people wait for the carrier is because they are waiting for the MANUFACTURER to update the UI that they overlayed on top of ANDROID. It isn’t the carrier that delays it at all. If you don’t want the manufacturers UI on the device, then you can update it ASAP.
BESIDES,at least the update we android users are getting are fully functional. Sure there is a bugfix or two in there, but at least it’s a fully functional update. Or is it normal to still be waiting past the initial update for MMS, Tethering, MOBILE HOTSPOT, and MULTITASKING. Still waiting for at least one of those…aren’t you?