Apple: No iPhone modem for you
Jobs' lot blocks free internet
A Canadian programme developer, Nullriver, thought it had added some great functionality to the iPhone by allowing it to act as a WiFi modem for a PC.
But Apple has withdrawn the application, NetShare, which was available through the AppStore, within hours of it going up.
Using a mobile phone as a modem is hardly a new idea, connecting to the internet via 3G (or if you're stupid, EDGE or GSM), but given the slew of 'unlimited' data plans introduced for the iPhone 3G, it seems Apple has decided this functionality would be a bad thing all around.
Swiftly downing the 'river
Despite having to approve the programme for it to be included in the AppStore, the application was withdrawn swiftly, despite the makers claiming it broke no developer rules.
According to Macrumors.com, Nullriver said: "We're not quite sure why Apple took down the application yet, we've received no communication from Apple thus far.
"NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or AppStore agreements. We're hoping we'll get some feedback from Apple tomorrow.
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"Sorry to all the folks that couldn't get it in time. We'll do our best to try to get the application back onto the AppStore if at all possible.
"At the very least, I would hope Apple will allow it in countries where the provider does permit tethering."
Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grew with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.