Mobile hotspot iPhone function could come with iOS 4.3

Verizon announcement indicates new feature

Mobile hotspot iPhone function could come with iOS 4.3

12 January 2011 12:31 GMT / By Paul Lamkin

When Verizon announced its CDMA version iPhone on Tuesday, one of the most interesting revelations was that the handset would offer mobile hotspot capabilities for up to five devices.

This has led to speculation that this could become a feature for all iPhone devices rocking iOS 4.3 when it's released later this year.

The iPhone currently offers a tethering option whereby you can use your data connection with one device, but a mobile hotspot would act in the same way as a MiFi device, creating a local network which you could hook multiple devices up to (a feature that is available on Android 2.2+).

In the UK, any networks that offer tethering do so at an extra cost though, and it's highly unlikely that a mobile hotspot would be treated any differently.

We've reached out to a number of UK networks to see if mobile hotspots would be something they would welcome (or offer) and so far only Vodafone and Three has had anything to say on the matter. And they both said "no comment", so we're none-the-wiser.

With Apple being so cagey with its update details though, chances are that networks are unlikely to have any official position on this at present, as it's not likely that the Cupertino bods would have even filled them in on the update details yet.

As ever though, we'll keep you posted.

Via: macworld.co.uk

Full tags

Phones, Mobile phones, iPhone 4, Verizon, MiFi