NetShare, a tethering application created by Canadian developer Nullriver Inc was yanked by Apple Inc from its online mart for iPhone and iPod Touch applications. About 13 hours after it was yanked and replaced with a “Not Available in the US Store” message, Nullriver confirmed that the NetShare application was available once again.
In a statement posted to its website, the company remarked, “We’re not quite sure why Apple took down the NetShare application yet, we’ve received no communication from Apple thus far. NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or App Store agreements. We’re hoping we’ll get some feedback from Apple today. We’ll do our best to try to get the application back onto the App Store if at all possible. At the very least, we hope Apple will allow it to be used in countries where the provider does permit tethering.”
The application provides customers with a wireless access to the Web on a mobile PC using the high speed internet connection of the iPhone. Turning the smartphone into a mobile wireless hot spot, NetShare enables users to access the Internet from a notebook. This is done by “tethering” it into the iPhone’s wireless data connection.
While Nullriver awaits an explanation from Apple, iPhone owners can continue to share their cellular data connection with a notebook. With numerous handsets having built-in tethering capabilities, AT&T, the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the United States, charges $30 a month. However, the iPhone would violate AT&T’s terms of service as it has no such built-in capabilities.
Providing an all pervasive internet access before it was pulled off, NetShare was being sold for $10 by Apple. It shares the iPhone’s EDGE, or 3G connection with a PC.