Rumor: Apple and AT&T Developing iPhone Tethering Plan

According to a pretty legitimate-looking email thread from one of our readers, Steve Jobs may have responded to complaints that, since the pulling of NetShare from the App Store, iPhone-to-laptop tethering is impossible without jailbreaking one’s phone. From our reader to Steve:

AT&T offers data plans for BlackBerry that include tethering for an additional $30 per month (a total of $60 per month for the BlackBerry+tethering plan).It seems ludicrous that the same thing is not offered with the iPhone. I understand the desire to prevent tethering with the current data plan, but I am willing to pay more money to allow tethering! With such an advanced device, why can I not do so?

From “Steve” to our reader:

We agree, and are discussing it with ATT.

Steve

Sent from my iPhone

We’re not sure—that “Sent from my iPhone” kicker either makes this email completely legitimate or illegitimate, but it’s not a bad little rumor to start your holiday weekend early.

So would you pay extra to tether your laptop to your iPhone? [Image via Lifehacker]

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The iPhone 3G’s Problem May Have Been Found and Fixed

While Apple and AT&T have both been pretty quiet about what could be going wrong with the iPhone 3G, a new source from inside AT&T has finally broken the silence on the “bug fixes” offered in the latest firmware 2.0.2. So was it fixing the iPhone or the iPhone’s network? Well, sorta both.
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iPhone 3G Antenna Re-Tested With Problem Phone: Still Nothing Wrong With Hardware

In response to claims that their original iPhone 3G test was not valid because the phone used was in good working order, Swedish scientists gathered up 2 iPhones from users that were experiencing reception problems. Once again, testing showed that there was nothing wrong with the antennas. Obviously, you can’t test every phone, but it seems pretty clear that the iPhone antenna is not the problem here. [Goteborgs-Posten via AppleInsider]

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NextWorth Swaps Your Old iPhone With Someone In Need, Gives You Cash For a Shiny New 3G

Original EDGE iPhones are still going for pretty serious dough on eBay like they were back in June, but if the market is anything like it was around the time of the first launch, your likely to go through tons of fraudulent winners before you finally get connected with someone who’ll actually pay. Saving you that hassle, but at a significant premium, is NextWorth, a service that will take your Jesus Phone (now Peter Phone? Hmm) and send you a cash voucher or Circuit City gift card for your trade-in, before probably selling it on eBay themselves. But is it worth it?
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Phew: Cute iPhone Factory Girl Fired Didn’t Get Fired

After a Foxconn factory worker had adorable snapshots of her discovered in a brand new iPhone and posted all over the internet, many worried that she would be fired—or you know, worse. A Foxconn rep told a Chinese newspaper that “she is definitely not fired,” and that the pictures were test photos “accidentally” left on the iPhone. He didn’t comment on the number of lashings she received. I’m glad that all worked out, I wouldn’t want Adam’s conscience burdened by the fact he ruined some girl’s life while he’s vacationing on the Cape. [Macrumors]

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