iTether app launches on iOS

Tether.com has launched its tethering app on Apple’s App Store.

The iTether app allows you to connect a PC laptop or Apple MacBook to your iPhone via USB and then use the phone’s data connectivity whilst on the go.

It costs a one-off fee of £10.49 to download the app and you also need to download the required software to your computer.

It’s significant because Apple has previously been adverse to this kind of app setup due to close ties with carriers and networks.

Netshare, an app that had similiar functionality, gained approval in 2008 but was subsequently pulled by Apple having slipped through the net. It’s possible the same could happen with iTether.

If it's removed, as with Netshare, it should still work even so all is not lost if you take the gamble.

In response to concerned user questions on Twitter, Tether said: ‘We were very clear with Apple what our app did. They asked us a bunch of questions and then approved us.’

That statement would indicate Tether doesn’t expect the app to get pulled anytime soon. It's also been on iTunes for a number of hours, indicating Apple may have softened its stance on the subject.

Tether also has similar apps on Google’s Android and RIM’s BlackBerry OS platforms.

In related news, a recent influx of traffic after the iOS launch caused the Tether site to overload. During this time, the iTether app ceased to function, indicating the service is directly tied in to the company's website.