In addition to unveiling its new iPad 2 on Wednesday, Apple also showed off iOS 4.3, which - among other things - will add a personal hotspot that lets people share their iPhone 4 Internet connection with the iPad.
The Verizon iPhone 4 already has a hotspot feature, prompting AT&T users to wonder when their carrier would offer the same thing. AT&T has now confirmed that the iOS 4.3 hotspot option will be available on the AT&T iPhone 4. It will be bundled with the phone's data plan for a total of $45 per month for 4GB.
That's similar to the mobile hotspot option AT&T introduced in early February for the HTC Inspire 4G. At the time, the hotspot feature was exclusive to the Inspire, though AT&T said it was working on bringing it to the iPhone. That will now happen on March 11, when iOS 4.3 and the iPad 2 make their debut.
Also today, AT&T announced new postpaid plans for tablets. The carrier currently offers pre-paid bundles of data: 250MB for $15 a month, and 2GB for $25 a month. The post-paid plans will offer the same amount of data, but those who exceed their monthly data allotment will be charged $10 per 1GB of overage, and the charges will appear on their bills.
With pre-paid, those who hit their limit are given the option to buy another 2GB for $25, and charges appear on their credit cards.
Both options are month-to-month and don't require a contract.
"Tablets offer the convenience of mobile broadband virtually anywhere and our new billing options give customers the flexibility to choose how they prefer to be billed," David Christopher, chief marketing officer for AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets, said in a statement.
AT&T started selling the iPad in October; the new post-paid payment options will apply to the first-gen iPad and the iPad 2, AT&T said. The carrier also offers the Samsung Galaxy Tab.