Uh oh. Is this a sign of Google turning all evil and Apple on us by banning applications from Android Market? Because according to a developer for the application WiFi Tether for Root Users, their tethering application got banned. Officially they've been banned from Android Market for violating the Developer Distribution Agreement.
According to the developer:
"Google enters into distribution agreements with device manufacturers and Authorized Carriers to place the Market software client application for the Market on Devices. These distribution agreements may require the involuntary removal of Products in violation of the Device manufacturer’s or Authorized Carrier’s terms of service."
"Your Data Plan is intended for Web browsing, messaging, and similar activities on your device and not on any other equipment. Unless explicitly permitted by your Data Plan, other uses, including for example, tethering your device to a personal computer or other hardware, are not permitted."
Hm. This isn't particularly good news for anyone hoping that Android will be different and allow for more freedom, I guess that "open" platform concept might be put to the test. The developer goes on to wonder aloud if Android Market will always follow T-Mobile's Terms of Service and thus have the world's Android users feel the wrath of an American Carrier (albeit the friendliest American Carrier).
We don't know what this exactly means for Android and Android Market but we would love to hear an official statement from Google. Hopefully, they can let us know what happened here.
[via androidcommunity]
10 Comments
Competition will eventually knock down the walls of tyranny. The high speed wireless only providers will be here soon. Who needs cell minutes when you have a Voip everywhere?
There are other places on the web to install software from.
First failure... "more freedom"
The comment in the news is not quite appropriate.
Do you really believe Google are allowed to help doing illegal things? Of course not. And it's not legal by the, at this time, only plan from T-Mobile. I just read through it.
So what makes the difference is: YOU CAN STILL download and use tethering apps. You just can't download it from Marketplace anymore.
It's just like you would say GNU/Linux is not free, because you may not download illegal songs from Debian, because the RIAA said so.
That's the good thing with free and open stuff. Google can say "No more from our place", but no one keeps you from downloading it directly from a website. Unless T-Mobile sends the lawyers to such a site.
This is a breach of trust. We trusted google would hold true to its own ideals and keep this platform open. I don't blame google so much as the mobile carriers who continue to bury their heads in the sand.
Its a loose-loose situation. They (the carriers) make the majority of their own users suffer by restricting them, and they themselves will loose out in the end because of that. The more they erode the trust of their own users, the more those users will educate themselves and take matters into their own hands.
They just added one more reason to jailbrake the G1. Congratulations carriers, way to go.
( to be clear: I understand very well that you can install these applications on a non-jailbroken phone, outside of the marketplace. The point is, how long until the next firmware update stops us from doing -that- too? )
This is prolly dumb to ask lol... but what exactly did the WiFi Tether program do and y is it an issue?
To tell you the truth I really don´t care I don´t have root access.They want to make it so cool and legal that those kinds of apps make people do other workarounds so that they get what they want.
If you want to tether without root access use PDANetA112.
You´ll need you miniusb and usb cord and the above app.
Hmmm, I think the big picture is being missed. It looks like we should expect an Android phone from AT&T after all. My assertion is that AT&T, not T-Mobile, is behind this move by Google.
Google wants to get Android on AT&T of course, because of the market. AT&T kept saying "oh maybe one day" but was really saying to Google: you need to control applications better! AT&T looks at tethering as a revenue source, not a freebie. You will see an AT&T tethering app or service on Android phones soon. You heard it here first!
I see that Google is not seriously getting in to the business market then. I won't go recommending this G1 to serious business users then.
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can someone post step by step instructions on how to install this thing, where to download it from please... all ive found is that guys stupid blog which doesnt say squat about how to install this, it just says "hooray, this is available"