If current iPhone users want to add the newly announced tethering feature to their iPhone data plan when they upgrade to the iPhone OS 4, they will have to give up their unlimited data plan and opt for one of the new data capped plans AT&T (NYSE:T) is rolling out on Monday.
Tethering will become available when Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) ships the iPhone OS 4 sometime this summer. It's expected the iPhone OS 4 will be introduced on Monday when CEO Steve Jobs delivers the opening address at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. Both iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS smartphones will be able to take advantage of the iPhone OS 4 upgrade.
AT&T announced last week that it would revamp its smartphone data plans and charge $20 per month for iPhone tethering. But to take advantage of tethering, users will have to drop their current $30 unlimited plan and sign up for the $25 per month plan that is capped at 2GB of data usage--a data amount that is not increased with tethering capabilities added.
AT&T has said that current iPhone owners can retain their $30 plans indefinitely, even if they extend their contracts or buy a replacement phone.
For more:
- see this Computerworld article
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