New Ford Sync Allows Smartphone Internet Tethering

When Ford announced that its latest Sync update would include in-car Wi-Fi, we simply assumed it was only possible via a USB modem that you have to buy through a wireless Internet provider. However, Ford has confirmed that you can actually use an Internet-capable smartphone as the source for the wireless connection instead of a USB modem.

While users will be hampered by whatever 3G or 4G speeds their phones are capable of, the ability to use a single device to enable in-car Wi-Fi is rather amazing. Today’s wireless Internet speeds likely won’t make this ideal for multiple in-car users, but it will allow functions like browsing the web on your car’s in-dash screen — shown in the upcoming MyFord Touch system — possible at no added cost.
 
IPhone users, however, will be unable to tether their devices to Sync because AT&T doesn’t support the technology; you can’t tether an iPhone to a laptop, either. There are unsupported ways to tether iPhones, but those aren’t recommended by the manufacturer and might not work with Sync.