Personal Hotspot coming to iPhone 3GS?

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Personal Hotspot coming to iPhone 3GS?

iLounge has received an anonymous tip that the Personal Hotspot feature of iOS 4.3 will work on both the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS. According to our source, who tested it using the first beta version of iOS 4.3, the feature works on the 3GS exactly as it works on the iPhone 4, including the ability to share the device’s 3G network connection over Wi-Fi. Notably, it is up to the individual carriers to support the feature, so while the feature may be present in the OS, it will not show up in users’ Settings app unless it has been enabled by their carrier. In addition, while the feature is present in the current 3GS build of iOS 4.3 beta, it is possible that Apple could remove the feature prior to the public release of the update.

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Comments

1

I’m glad to see this reversal of what is otherwise Apple’s push to sweep away the iPhone 3GS (in addition to all of its predecessors). Many of us are “stuck” with the 3GS for the following three reasons, all of Apple’s own making: (1) AT&T’s exclusivity rights to the iPhone, pre-2011. (2) AT&T’s requirement of a 2-year contract to purchase an iPhone. (3) Apple’s ultimate decision not to offer the iPhone 4 contract-free.

Posted by Farnsworth on January 19, 2011 at 9:35 AM (PST)

2

The lack of a contract-free option in the U.S. was the part that really surprised me, considering that it’s available in most other countries. The number of U.S. owners coming to Canada to buy legit unlocked iPhones from Apple Stores here was an interesting turnabout from the original 2007 iPhone release…

Posted by Jesse Hollington in Toronto on January 19, 2011 at 10:19 AM (PST)

3

I hope they do keep it. It’s not just the US that keeps you locked in. In France it’s pretty much the same if you have the iPhone on contract, sure you can get them on SIM-Free but I can’t justify the cost when I have one on contract and there was no upgrade path to the iPhone4, it actually cost more than I found it elsewhere plus an extra 2 years on the contract from my phone network. I’m sure the networks will be making revenue from this so maybe they are also persuading Apple to keep it on the older phone.

Posted by Marcus King on January 24, 2011 at 3:06 AM (PST)

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