Method and apparatus for providing shared connectivity

Abstract

An approach is provided for providing shared path connectivity among devices. A connection sharing platform determines to specify at least one group of devices, the at least one group including at least a first path to establish a network connection and a second path to establish a local connection among the devices. The connection sharing platform also determines to cause at least in part an activation of one or more of the devices to establish the network connection, wherein one or more unactivated devices share the network connection over the local connection.

1 . A method comprising:
 accessing a target content or a web page by a mobile device;   determining to select one or more other mobile devices to share a link to the target content or the web page; and   determining to send the link to the selected one or more other mobile devices.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to send the link further comprises:
 determining to send the link from the mobile device over a local connection among the mobile device and the one or more other mobile devices.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein determining to send the link further comprises:
 determining to send a notification of the link from a connection sharing platform to the one or more other mobile devices over a network connection.   
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein both the mobile device and the one or more other mobile devices see the target content or the web page simultaneously when the link is opened. 
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein when the link is not opened by the selected one or more other mobile devices, the link is queued for viewing on the one or more other mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
 access a target content or a web page by a mobile device; 
 determine to select one or more other mobile devices to share a link to the target content or the web page; and 
 determine to send the link to the selected one or more other mobile devices. 
   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein, for determine to send the link, the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine to send the link from the mobile device over a local connection among the mobile device and the one or more other mobile devices.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein, for determine to send the link, the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine to send a notification of the link from a connection sharing platform to the one or more other mobile devices over a network connection.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein both the mobile device and the one or more other mobile devices see the target content or the web page simultaneously when the link is opened. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein, when the link is not opened by the selected one or more other mobile devices, the apparatus is further caused to:
 queue the link for viewing on the one or more other mobile device.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 presenting a page on a user interface of a mobile device;   determining to open a reference web page from the mobile device;   determining to select at the reference web page sharing of the page over a local connection among mobile devices   determining to select at the reference web page one or more other mobile devices to share the page over the local connection; and   determining to share the page with the selected one or more other mobile devices over the local connection.   
     
     
         12 . A method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected one or more other mobile devices determines to interact with the page either privately or publicly. 
     
     
         13 . A method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein, when the selected one or more other mobile devices determines to interact with the page privately, a view of the page is different from a view of the page that was shared, and   wherein the selected one or more other mobile devices receives shared updates of the mobile device and of any other selected other mobile devices to the shared page.   
     
     
         14 . A method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein, updates made by the selected one or more other mobile devices to the view that was shared are not reflected on the mobile device and on any other selected other mobile devices.   
     
     
         15 . A method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein, when the selected one or more other mobile devices determines to interact with the page publicly, interactions by the selected one or more other mobile devices with the page are shared to and updated on the user interface of the mobile device and of any other selected other mobile devices.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,   present a page on a user interface of a mobile device;   determine to open a reference web page from the mobile device;   determine to select at the reference web page sharing of the page over a local connection among mobile devices   determine to select at the reference web page one or more other mobile devices to share the page over the local connection; and   determine to share the page with the selected one or more other mobile devices over the local connection.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 cause the selected one or more other mobile devices to determine to interact with the page either privately or publicly.   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein, when the selected one or more other mobile devices determines to interact with the page privately, the apparatus is further caused to:
 cause a view of the page to be different from a view of the page that was shared, and   cause the selected one or more other mobile devices to receive shared updates of the mobile device and of any other selected other mobile devices to the shared page.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein, updates made by the selected one or more other mobile devices to the view that was shared are not reflected on the mobile device and on any other selected other mobile devices. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein, when the selected one or more other mobile devices determines to interact with the page publicly, the apparatus is further caused to:
 cause interactions by the selected one or more other mobile devices with the page to be shared to and updated on the user interface of the mobile device and of any other selected other mobile devices.