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All iPads Do you go for Wi-Fi only or cellular for your iPad
- Thread starter Adeapplephone
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Was gonna go cellular on the mini but now that you can have it auto connect to the iPhone hotspot when leaving WiFi it seemed unnecessary.
As for battery drain, with the price difference between WiFi and cellular and the $23/month my provider wants for another unlimited SIM I could replace my 12 Pro Max with the 13 Pro Max for about the same cost and get the bigger battery to offset the drain.
As for battery drain, with the price difference between WiFi and cellular and the $23/month my provider wants for another unlimited SIM I could replace my 12 Pro Max with the 13 Pro Max for about the same cost and get the bigger battery to offset the drain.
Local area I live has numerous hotspots such as comcast Wi-Fi setups throughout many city’s neighborhoods so Wi-Fi is all I need.
If for some reason you want/need GPS for your device (I do) then you have to go with cellular. GPS data cannot be shared over hotspot. You can buy a Bluetooth GPS transmitter but a decent one will cost the equivalent of of adding cellular to the initial purchase.
I’ve used and had iPads since the first one, and I’ve learned that cellular is great when I need it, but it’s not that often. So I’ve often chose to go without cellular.
My current iPad is a cellular 11 Pro 2018, and I probably use the cellular once a month or so. It’s basically a luxury for me. Next time I might go WiFi only! But yea it’s really nice to just start using the iPad not thinking about WiFi.
My current iPad is a cellular 11 Pro 2018, and I probably use the cellular once a month or so. It’s basically a luxury for me. Next time I might go WiFi only! But yea it’s really nice to just start using the iPad not thinking about WiFi.
The point is if you lose your power like many in Florida with hurricanes, you will thank goodness that you had cellular service.
Well, if the power failure is that catastrophic, then eventually, your cellular iPad will die soon enough.
I bought a solar powered battery charger a week before my cellular mini. If Boris Johnson says the lights won’t go out, then they probably will.
I keep a couple of large (>20000mAh) battery packs charged up. A sub-optimal option is charging in a car with a high-power charger (e.g., Anker high-wattage units).
I mean that option works with a hotspot phone as well so it isn’t really an advantage with cellular. Personally I’d prolly keep charging half the battery packs in the car while having half of them charged inside. Having a 80 kWh battery in the car is perfect for situations like that
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It's good for the people who travel nonstop with only their phone and the iPad. There's no hotspot settings/hotel wifi login to deal with, you just use it. Maybe people who didn't want traditional internet, also just have the iPad as their only machine, might prefer it.
Saying that, I just get the wifi models because I'm neither of the two.
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I got the new mini 6 iPad in cellular version bc I plan on taking it out of the house more often than my 11” pro.
Cellular for my iPad Pro 11”.
5G coverage on the go.
In Hong Kong, 5G coverage is better than the WiFi available at most places.
I can see people who bought the 12.9” model May choose to not get cellular. Not many would want to carry a big iPad around.
For that tiny iPad mini cellular will probably be best.
5G coverage on the go.
In Hong Kong, 5G coverage is better than the WiFi available at most places.
I can see people who bought the 12.9” model May choose to not get cellular. Not many would want to carry a big iPad around.
For that tiny iPad mini cellular will probably be best.
I went cellular primarily due to T-Mobile rebate paying for the cost to go cellular. I then cancelled the plan after I got the rebate.
Except for very specific use cases (needing actual GPS, for instance) I think the cellular is a waste of money. Tethering with the iPhone is extremely easy.
Except for very specific use cases (needing actual GPS, for instance) I think the cellular is a waste of money. Tethering with the iPhone is extremely easy.
Wifi only.
Why pay the additional non-recurring and recurring cost of a separate data plan.
You can always tether to an iPhone hotspot.
Why pay the additional non-recurring and recurring cost of a separate data plan.
You can always tether to an iPhone hotspot.
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Or turn on cellular when you really need it and not if you don’t. Used in case of emergencies. That way you can save all of the additional data plan usually $10. As they always say, have it and not need it but need it not have it.
I will always go cellular as I don’t like using free Wi-Fi for security reasons and don’t want to drain my iPhone battery through tethering. My iPhone has everything on it, and I don’t want to do anything that will compromise its battery life and be in a position where it is out of battery.
I also love the feeling of always being connected to the internet. I also find the connection to be more reliable than when using a hotspot.
I also love the feeling of always being connected to the internet. I also find the connection to be more reliable than when using a hotspot.
I always go for the WiFi only. It's significantly cheaper. I generally have access to WiFi wherever I go but since my phone is always with me, I can use it as a WiFi hotspot... super-easy and free (no additional cost beyond my already inexpensive cell plan).
Cellular on both Mini 6 and iPad Pro 11 2021. We spend a fair amount of time at out camp where there’s no electricity unless we run a generator, so no Wi-Fi. It’s cheaper for me to AT&T plans for both iPads than to upgrade my Verizon phone plan to more data and AT&T signal is better at the camp than Verizon signal. Not the usual circumstances for most people, though.