Personal Hotspot in iOS. Credit: Engadget
During the Verizon iPhone announcement earlier today, the company revealed that the CDMA iPhone 4 model would ship with “Mobile Hotspot” capability. Verizon representatives referred to this capability as an “App” that would be preloaded, however during hands on testing with the press it was discovered that the Mobile Hotspot feature is actually part of an unreleased version of iOS, referred to in the operating system as “Personal Hotspot”.
Test models being demonstrated for the press earlier today were running iOS 4.2.5; currently the newest version available for GSM iPhone models on AT&T and other carriers is 4.2.1.
Wi-Fi Tethering in iOS. Credit: Engadget
Other screenshots posted by Engadget show the Wi-Fi tethering feature is an expansion of the existing Internet Tethering feature already available, however the current version of iOS only supports tethering over Bluetooth or USB. Read more
Apple releases iOS 4.3 beta
iOS 4.3 beta
Apple has posted beta versions of iOS 4.3 to the developer portal, just one day after Verizon’s iPhone 4 event revealed that the CDMA version of the iPhone 4 was running an unreleased 4.2.5 version of iOS.
Builds are available for the iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPod Touch 3rd and 4th generation devices. Curiously, a build for the 2nd generation iPod Touch is not provided, however they may still release a public version for that model once iOS 4.3 is out of beta.
Not much is known about the new version of Apple’s mobile operating system, however rumors have been circulating since yesterday that iOS 4.3 would include the unannounced Wi-Fi internet tethering feature that Verizon demonstrated at the event yesterday. Read more