Other For those that have a phone and an iPad- which do you use more?

[happy orchard]

Probably. I’ve often toyed with the idea of buying a new one, and I can see myself using it to take notes or drawing out rough wireframes for my job as a software engineer (I’m currently using pen and paper cause I still find it faster than doing it on my laptop) so maybe when a new iPad Air comes out I’ll consider that.

Okay, reading all of that, I am so going to encourage you to do that. As a tutor, I used to carry around books, binders, pencils, highlighters, and tablets of paper--now I just have a tablet. OMG the difference just that makes. I love Notability (and some other note/drawing apps), and I still grab it to just take notes quickly. Hope you do get to try it again someday and really enjoy it. Sounds like you definitely have potential with it.

 

[Nhwhazup]

I use my phone 80% of the time. I use the iPad if I have to do any major work or big emails. And also use the iPad for streaming movies and shows.

 

[PowerPCFan]

Obviously the person who gave me their old iPad had moved on to something else and they didn’t want it. It was a really old one - the iPad 2 with a low res 1024x768P screen. It gave me eye strain that harkened back to the CRT hell days because of its low resolution. Obviously the new iPads today have a higher resolution now at 1080p.
I just used it for video watching and email and tried using it for other stuff and it was lame for all of that too. Not because of the older processor which could play back video fine but because it was just too hard to hold especially when lying down and far too heavy.

Once I got my iPhone 6 Plus (back in the day) it was game over. That bigger phone was PERFECT for everything. Zero eye strain. Great for watching videos and great for everything else. Added a Loopy case to it that has a finger loop on the back and its been heaven since. Effortless to hold while lying down- when using that case.

I’ve since moved up to an iPhone 8 Plus and I’ll stick with that phone until apple returns to making a display that’s not toxic to sensitive people.

Old iPads are terrible. Get a new iPad Air or something similar and it will be much lighter, very high resolution, and much bigger and faster than that iPhone 6 plus ever was. Once you get a new iPad, you'll never go back to your iPhone again.

 

[happy orchard]

Good point on the MacBook! I’m looking as well at the MacBook Air m1 that is $200 off right now… not as convenient as an iPad, but may check more use-case boxes.

Hmmm that's a hard choice. If I had to choose between MBA and iPad...I think I would go with the MBA...but since you already have an iMac, iPad seems a good call--if you have to choose only one.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

I have an iPhone 11, an iPad mini 6 and iPad Air 5.
Whenever I have to type longer text, I use one of the iPads since I can’t stand typing on the small screen when it goes beyond a sentence or two. The mini I mostly use for work notes, the Air for personal notes.

I was hoping to get some photo editing done on the iPad Air but… I think it’s too small for that. The 12.9 iPad Pro seems a much better choice for that - purely in terms of size.

I do find myself using the iPad Air a lot more for planning writing projects than any other device, though. I love taking handwritten notes to „discuss“ ideas. There’s something about the connection between hand and brain that just works differently with a pen in hand than with a keyboard. At least for me.

 

[xxray]

Phone definitely, even at home. I think I’d use my iPad more often at home if I had the 9.7-11” size since it’s more portable and I could type on the screen using just my thumbs. I have the 12.9” size because I tried to go all out on a laptop replacement (I ended up just getting a laptop after a while) and I wanted the mini-LED screen, but the bigger size definitely makes me less likely to just pick up and use as a tablet. My phone is just easier and more convenient, and the OLED screen on the iPhone doesn’t have bad blooming like the mini-LED screen does.

 

[MarkC426]

I barely use the phone at all. It’s simply a glorified video camera for me and texting when out and about. I use my iPad CONSTANTLY though. To say it’s been the most important tech device I’ve used in the last decade is an understatement.

I thought it was just me.....
Of all my Apple products, my iPad Pro is the most used.

I think with getting older, I always consider my iPhone as a 'phone', so it rarely gets used for non-phone tasks...🤣, also I REFUSE to pay more than £400 for a phone, so I always get a couple of generations behind (new though). Especially as it generally sits in my pocket/bag most of the time (non social media user).

 

[usmaak]

I thought it was just me.....
Of all my Apple products, my iPad Pro is the most used.

I think with getting older, I always consider my iPhone as a 'phone', so it rarely gets used for non-phone tasks...🤣, also I REFUSE to pay more than £400 for a phone, so I always get a couple of generations behind (new though). Especially as it generally sits in my pocket/bag most of the time (non social media user).

You’re a bit smarter than I am. I always feel the need to get the biggest and best, in this case a 14 PM. Then I spend hours with my iPad on my lap while lying on the couch while my phone looks on with jealousy. At least know keep my phones for 3+ years. My current iPad is a second generation 12.9” pro. Bring on the 16”!

 

[Kiimora]

I use both all day at home; however I tend to gravitate towards the iPad more whilst travelling for obvious reasons ie larger screen estate for content consumption. Whilst out and about i take just the phone

My M1 12.9 iPad is king from a note taking , quick research and studies standpoint as well as the perfect secondary device to my M1 iMac

 

[Phazer]

Okay, reading all of that, I am so going to encourage you to do that. As a tutor, I used to carry around books, binders, pencils, highlighters, and tablets of paper--now I just have a tablet. OMG the difference just that makes. I love Notability (and some other note/drawing apps), and I still grab it to just take notes quickly. Hope you do get to try it again someday and really enjoy it. Sounds like you definitely have potential with it.

Haha I chimed into this topic with the idea of potentially helping a user save some money. Turns out I am now the one considering buying an iPad. 😄
I will definitely think about it as soon as a new iPad Air comes out. I tend to keep my tech for quite a long time so I’d rather buy a device that supports Apple Pencil 2. And the laminated screen will make watching movies on a plane more enjoyable.
Ok now I can’t wait 🙃

 

[Watchfaces]

I use iPhone the most

 

[happy orchard]

Haha I chimed into this topic with the idea of potentially helping a user save some money. Turns out I am now the one considering buying an iPad. 😄
I will definitely think about it as soon as a new iPad Air comes out. I tend to keep my tech for quite a long time so I’d rather buy a device that supports Apple Pencil 2. And the laminated screen will make watching movies on a plane more enjoyable.
Ok now I can’t wait 🙃

Haha love it. Surprise!

Just to stoke the fire, Apple Pencil 2 is awesome. That double tap becomes so natural that I tap other pens and papers when I use them. So if you like to keep your gear for a long time, maybe try a Pro if you can get one. Even some of the less recent ones. I still have and use 12.9s from 2018 and 2020, and they use Apple Pencil, and with promotion, really nice.

Keep us posted! 🔥 Hope you get to have a fun experience.

 

[jm31828]

I actually thought of choosing a similar setup, cause it has a good logic (small portable phone + large screen when you need it). I guess the question you should be asking yourself is: do you consume media outside your home a lot? If you consume media mostly at home, it makes lots of sense.

Have had iPhone for a long time, but recently bought an iPad pro specifically for creativity apps & reading, ocasional media consumption. I love it, big screen on the couch is the maximum comfort. I still use phone a lot, though. Simply, because it's the nearest device most of the time. But if I had a smaller phone, i would probably adjust and use iPad more often when I'm at home.

Thanks for sharing!
To your question- besides a quick lookup of something online when I’m out, no- 95% if my phone usage is at home… sitting in the couch doing online banking, reading news, social media, and email.

 

[jm31828]

Hmmm that's a hard choice. If I had to choose between MBA and iPad...I think I would go with the MBA...but since you already have an iMac, iPad seems a good call--if you have to choose only one.

Thanks!
Yeah I find that I prefer consumption of most things on mobile apps instead of websites (news, online banking, and social media).
That seems to point to the iPad as the smart choice… as you said, it helps that I do have the iMac as well.

 

[stinkhorn9]

Just curious: Is your mini room a teeny tiny room or where the iPad mini lives?

Ha! I like it

It's the garage - where I have a bit more privacy and the ability to make some noise: my Mini has my main audio software on it.

 

[Torty]

Obviously the person who gave me their old iPad had moved on to something else and they didn’t want it. It was a really old one - the iPad 2 with a low res 1024x768P screen. It gave me eye strain that harkened back to the CRT hell days because of its low resolution. Obviously the new iPads today have a higher resolution now at 1080p.
I just used it for video watching and email and tried using it for other stuff and it was lame for all of that too. Not because of the older processor which could play back video fine but because it was just too hard to hold especially when lying down and far too heavy.

Once I got my iPhone 6 Plus (back in the day) it was game over. That bigger phone was PERFECT for everything. Zero eye strain. Great for watching videos and great for everything else. Added a Loopy case to it that has a finger loop on the back and its been heaven since. Effortless to hold while lying down- when using that case.

I’ve since moved up to an iPhone 8 Plus and I’ll stick with that phone until apple returns to making a display that’s not toxic to sensitive people.

Ipad 2 is from early 2011. Not fair comparison with iphone 6 Plus. Should have compared it with iphone 4.

 

[blw777]

Between the iPad and the iPhone, at least 95% of use goes to the phone. The phone goes with me everywhere. For better or for worse, it's the minder for the watch. I pretty much only use the iPad when traveling long distance, or when I need a Pencil. For me the Pencil is a very specific task, which is pretty rare (twice a month?) but which is critical to my business. That's precision burning and dodging in Adobe Lightroom. Occasionally I also use the iPad as a second screen on the road with my MacBook. But all of those things with the iPad are special cases. I use the iPhone and the MacBook Pro on a daily basis.

 

[andyx3x]

As some others have said already I mostly use my 14 PM only when I leave the house. When I"m at home I use my iPad Pro and my MacBook Air. No need to use the smaller screen when when almost everything I need is on the iPad. I'll check my phone from time to time to see if I got a phone call but I don't get many of those. People know to send me text messages.

If I could only keep one Apple device I think it would be the iPad and then I would just get an Android phone.

 

[usmaak]

As some others have said already I mostly use my 14 PM only when I leave the house. When I"m at home I use my iPad Pro and my MacBook Air. No need to use the smaller screen when when almost everything I need is on the iPad. I'll check my phone from time to time to see if I got a phone call but I don't get many of those. People know to send me text messages.

If I could only keep one Apple device I think it would be the iPad and then I would just get an Android phone.

This was me, until I got the iPhone. I do most of my communicating through texting and being able to text from any of my apple devices has been amazing. Before the iPhone, I was using T-Mobile‘s text website and while it somewhat approximated the functionality I now have, it didn’t do it well. Now I can text from any device and can see it in any device.

This has been a great thread. Just seeing how everyone works differently with the same setup is interesting. Proves that Apple truly has put together something unique.

 

[Rainshadow]

If you haven’t spent time with an iPad, I suggest you do with every intention of possibly returning it within the return window.
I was given an older iPad and I really didn’t like using the thing so I gave it to someone else. Obviously lots of people like them, I’m just not one of them. I’d never buy one.
Maybe I just had a bad experience because the iPad I was using was old.

I’ve had friends that say the same thing. But one guy was using a 5 year old, used iPad. I mean come on. Go use a 5 year old tech item of any kind.

I use an iPad at home for everything and a phone when I’m out. I won’t sit at a laptop unless I’ve got a load of work to do. So much more comfortable to browse and watch videos than a phone or laptop.

Totally worth it. You won’t return it. Just don’t skimp so much on the device that you don’t enjoy the experience.

 

[Black Magic]

I have an iPad Pro 11" which is really overkill for my use case. I use my iPad for pretty much everything when I am home and just let my iPhone charge. With the Smart Folio case, I have it propped up landscape mode on my couch armrest and just enjoy while watch TV. Next time, I'll probably just go with an iPad Air to save some money but I do enjoy the iPad and iPhone combo.

 

[MisterSavage]

95% of the time when I'm home it's iPad instead of iPhone.

 

[Unami]

I often have my ipad air in my backpack, it even fits into a large coat pocket. Daily usage between the ipad and my SE is about equal, with the phone used for calls, messaging, navigation, music/radio/audiobooks, and payment. For that, probably even the € 500 for the SE is too much. I use the ipad for reading, watching stuff, surfing the web, email, photo editing, a little gaming and even a little writing.

Imho, even those huge bricks of a phone like the 14 pro or even the 14 pro super phat ultra maximum or whatever it's called are too small for reading/consuming media comfortably, and imho a phone has to fit in the front pocket of trousers while i'm sitting down and be useable with one hand only. I'd rather have more specialized devices than one that's the master of none (same with photography/video).

 

[Andeddu]

Imho, even those huge bricks of a phone like the 14 pro or even the 14 pro super phat ultra maximum or whatever it's called are too small for reading/consuming media comfortably, and imho a phone has to fit in the front pocket of trousers while i'm sitting down and be useable with one hand only. I'd rather have more specialized devices than one that's the master of none (same with photography/video).

Gen Z have moved away from larger tablets and rely solely on their smartphones as all-in-one devices. Even I believe that a phone can be all things to all users. I have 3 active iPads and barely use them anymore and, even when I am in my house, I always gravitate to my phone for video media and web-browsing which are tasks that are designed for larger tablet devices.

Perhaps it’s the older generation that find discomfort in using smaller devices but I found the original SE to be fine for everything including media consumption. A larger phone, even a Mini sized one, is definitely not going to result in any discomfort for those that have no difficulty with eyesight or finger dexterity.

 

[jm31828]

Gen Z have moved away from larger tablets and rely solely on their smartphones as all-in-one devices. Even I believe that a phone can be all things to all users. I have 3 active iPads and barely use them anymore and, even when I am in my house, I always gravitate to my phone for video media and web-browsing which are tasks that are designed for larger tablet devices.

Perhaps it’s the older generation that find discomfort in using smaller devices but I found the original SE to be fine for everything including media consumption. A larger phone, even a Mini sized one, is definitely not going to result in any discomfort for those that have no difficulty with eyesight or finger dexterity.

Great points!
I’m certainly not gen z (I’m 45 years old), but have not minded too much using my phone- even small ones I’ve had like a 13 mini or SE- as my only device.

I had really just started thinking- as my eyes start to strain when I spend too much time reading small text on my phone for an extended period of time- that an iPad may be a good idea. The added benefit would be using it for photo editing instead of always needing to do that back in the spare room where my old iMac is located.

I did find a good Black Friday deal- iPad Air 5the fen with the M1 chip for $499 at Best Buy, and got another $25 off with a credit card deal.
Not bad!