Google Android Tethering Allowed Now

While Google did a mass sweep of the tethering applications on its Android Market a few days ago, it looks like the Internet giant has felt the pressure from various parties and has loosened up a bit. Instead of banning the app for everybody under the sun, they plan to make those applications available for “users outside the T-Mobile US network”. While this shows that Google has a system to filter apps based on what carrier you’re on, it’s unconfirmed whether such a feature is good or bad. The good news is that developers are free to come up with software, even if it goes against some carriers’ Terms of Service (ToS); the bad news is that if the carriers don’t like your app, it’s not going to get very much exposure. Do you think such a move is good from Google? A statement from Google (to the developer) reads:

“We inadvertently unpublished your application for all mobile providers; if you like, we can restore your app so that all Android Market users outside the T-Mobile US network will have access to your application”