Tethering app pops up on iTunes, then gets pulled
Looking to connect your laptop to your iPhone's data connection? The iTether app may have been for you. Unfortunately, it's been pulled from the iTunes App Store.
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Tethering application iTether slipped into the iTunes App Store today but has since been pulled.
The $14.99 app allowed iPhone customers to use their smartphone data plan to power the Internet connection for their PC or Mac through a USB cable. The app comes from Tether.
Tether later released a statement confirming that Apple had pulled the aap because of concerns over the potential burden to the carrier networks.
"Our team is very disappointed in Apple's decision; as we strongly believe we help carriers better monetize their data stream by pushing customers into new data tiers further increasing their bottom-line," the company said in a statement later posted on Macrumors.
The company confirmed that those who downloaded the app can continue to use it. Its own website is down.
Carriers have traditionally frowned upon these kinds of applications, which encourage heavy data usage. In times when they have offered these capabilities, usually in the form of a hot-spot feature, they charge a monthly fee. The iTether app was designed to work after just a onetime fee.
Past tethering applications have either been rejected from the App Store or pulled quickly after they launch. The latter happened today to iTether, which is no longer available via the Apple service.
The carriers have gone as far as to send warning notices to heavy users. Many of them have policies in place to slow down the connection of a user who is deemed an excessive bandwidth hog.
The application was initially spotted by Engadget.
Updated at 9:21 a.m. and 11:39 a.m. PT: to note that the application has since been pulled from iTunes and to add a statement from Tether.