AT&T Says No iPhone to iPad Tethering

iPhone owners hoping to use the recently announced tethering support in iPhone OS 4 to get their iPads online are in for a disappointment now that AT&T says they can’t. According to AT&T, it’s Apple’s fault because the iPad doesn’t include a USB port to connect to the iPhone’s dock cable.

AT&T also claimed the iPad’s lack of tethering support isn’t a policy-related issue, but instead is a problem Apple needs to sort out with the iPad and iPhone, according to TechFlash.

The iPad’s lack of a USB port, at least on the surface, seems like reasonable excuse for no tethering support, although the multimedia tablet does include a Bluetooth connection that’s capable of supporting tethering. Apple also sells its iPad Camera Connection kit that includes a USB port adapter — and the iPad has no problems connecting to the iPhone to offload photos.

AT&T is referring iPad tethering questions to Apple, and Apple is sticking to its usual tight-lipped policy. Since all the hardware pieces are in place, however, that doesn’t mean Apple and AT&T can’t implement iPhone to iPad tether at some point in the future.