Apple Thoughts: No More Android Tethering

"The hoopla around Google’s Android mobile OS, and the resulting apps in the Android Market, is pretty strong. It’s laid on thick and fast. You know the drill; it’s “open” so it’ll be free from all the constraints imposed by The Man, etc. Oops, maybe not. I’m not sure why people believed the steaming pile of hyperbole coming out of the “open” pundits, but it was just a matter of time before reality stepped in. Google has pulled tethering apps from the market."

The word "open" is so overused these days. Anyone with half a brain knew this was coming, and despite all the ripping on Apple and AT&T for their "closed" ecosystem, T-Mobile and Google seem to be in the same mindset. Of course the outrageometer is significantly lower for Android, but still.

We know that iPhone OS 3.0 will allow tethering; it'll be interesting to see if AT&T locks this down to a paid feature or if they let you just use it for free. T-Mobile may be exploring similar options with the Android OS and that's why they locked down the tethering apps. Tom Reestman's closing paragraph really nails it, though:

Meanwhile, the “open” community will probably condemn Google’s action, then deny it, then rationalize it, and then defend it. Finally, they’ll get right back to touting how “open” is the panacea; the cure for all that ails us, and everything Apple’s App Store is not. As before, they’ll be wrong, but I’m sure some will still believe it.

Amen!