iPad with or without cellular

[jbachandouris]

I chose the cellular the last two times. The iPad Pro 10.5" was the last iPad I bought.

The main reason I chose cellular aside from GPS and no desire to tether was AT&T's Next plan. For a 0% 'loan' on my cellular bill, I was able to own the latest device.

 

[gnomeisland]

Love having a cellular iPad. GPS alone (considered over the life of the iPad) is worth it for me, plus, in the USA, T-Mobiles $10/5GB for 5mo. plan is great for my needs. I don't travel much but when I do I need access and tethering always seems like a kludge. Plus, because I don't travel much, I don't have a huge data package on my phone.

 

[rui no onna]

Nice, thanks for the heads up. Found it. (Though I had to remove the Verizon SIM that was in my 9.7" 2016 iPad Pro to get any other carrier's plan options to show up.) Thanks for the heads up on that! Those are both really nice options. I still can't see Verizon options since I cancelled service on that sim card, maybe I need to do a clean install or something.
[doublepost=1562601765][/doublepost]
So my old 9.7" iPad Pro has Apple SIM, eSIM has been available as of the 2018 models, correct?

Yes, the 2016 iPad Pro 9.7 and 2017 iPad Pros all have Embedded Apple SIM. Verizon doesn't support that but something like T-Mobile on Embedded Apple SIM + Verizon on physical Nano SIM should work.

On the iPads, the eSIM (which is a universal standard) was first introduced in the 2018 iPad Pros.

 

[psingh01]

Cellular for me. Had one since the original and have used it extensively. Well worth it but only if you are actually using it. If you will use wifi 99% of the time then save your money.

 

[Sodium Chloride]

For GPS alone I prefer to buy the cellular model, regardless of whether I have an active cellular plan on it.


How long have you had that plan? That’s a pretty sweet deal. Sometimes I wonder what it’d be like to not have a smartphone and just have a tablet.

Currently looking at my options for data plans for a cellular iPad. Actually would like a different carrier for my iPad so I have some fallback in areas where my phone doesn’t have reception when traveling (my phone is on T-Mobile).

About 2 years.

 

[user_xyz]

I would much rather have the Cellular mostly because it's bundled with GPS.
But let's face it Apple sure does milk you for it!!!

Ussually $129.00 extra for the $11.00 chipset!!

 

[Khedron]

I would much rather have the Cellular mostly because it's bundled with GPS.
But let's face it Apple sure does milk you for it!!!

Ussually $129.00 extra for the $11.00 chipset!!

Blame Qualcomm and their anti-consumer monopolistic $7 per device licensing fee for $1000+ iPhones and iPads

 

[maflynn]

I bought a cellular iPad back in the day and for my usage, I really didn't use the cell portion - at least not enough to justify the monthly fee.

The GPS in the iPad is not a component that I found value in. At first, I was like cool, I have a GPS, but I didn't use it when driving (seemed dangerous unless you get a holder of some sort). I didn't use it walking, or hiking so for me its like why bother.

YMMV but I founds there's enough hot spots to jump on that I didn't need to worry about cellular.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

I used to be fine with just WiFi or tethering, but I work via video conference a lot of hours a day, and I find a lot of value in being able to seamlessly switch over to LTE when my WiFi connection isn’t good. I also travel a lot and work while I do, so it’s really nice.

 

[kipwheeler]

I go non-cellular because I don't own a phone or have a phone provider. So, cellular iPad would be kind of pointless.

 

[psingh01]

I go non-cellular because I don't own a phone or have a phone provider. So, cellular iPad would be kind of pointless.

you don't need an existing plan or phone. the iPad will have its own cellular data plan that you manage from the iPad itself. mine is completely separate from my phone.

 

[kipwheeler]

you don't need an existing plan or phone. the iPad will have its own cellular data plan that you manage from the iPad itself. mine is completely separate from my phone.

I was not aware of that. Still, I don't think a monthly fee is worth it.

 

[willmtaylor]

WiFi is ubiquitous, and the rare occasion it wasn’t, I just used iPhone as WiFi hotspot.

I’ve never once regretted getting the WiFi only version.

 

[Moonjumper]

I have always chosen wifi-only because I mostly use my iPad with wifi available, and on the occasions that isn't the case, I can tether from my iPhone.

Asking this question needs more context. Everyone is answering with their use-case, and appear to have made valid choices for themselves, but may not suit the original poster.

 

[Khedron]

you don't need an existing plan or phone. the iPad will have its own cellular data plan that you manage from the iPad itself. mine is completely separate from my phone.

Or you can move your phone SIM over to the iPad if your phone isn't working for any reason. No cellular voice calls but data works.
[doublepost=1562777874][/doublepost]

I have always chosen wifi-only because I mostly use my iPad with wifi available, and on the occasions that isn't the case, I can tether from my iPhone.

Asking this question needs more context. Everyone is answering with their use-case, and appear to have made valid choices for themselves, but may not suit the original poster.

There is no wrong answer, which is why Apple makes both versions in the first place.

 

[BigDO]

For me, it has to be with. Yes, WiFi is almost everywhere, and yes, I can tether, but there are cases where it’s quicker for me to use my LTE data, and using the phone for a hotspot quickly kills the battery of the phone, and has to be re-tethered every time iPad goes to sleep.

I have tried both, and for me it’s with cellular all the way.

 

[Moonjumper]

There is no wrong answer, which is why Apple makes both versions in the first place.

Which is part of what I was saying. People were giving answers each way with what suited their uses. Either way can be the right answer. But it doesn’t answer the original poster’s question as it wasn’t said what their situation was.

 

[Shirasaki]

I have always chosen wifi-only because I mostly use my iPad with wifi available, and on the occasions that isn't the case, I can tether from my iPhone.

Asking this question needs more context. Everyone is answering with their use-case, and appear to have made valid choices for themselves, but may not suit the original poster.

Or the original poster just casually collect every member’s use case and analyse the info himself.
On the other hand, the only true answer of OP’s question is always “it depends”.

Or you can move your phone SIM over to the iPad if your phone isn't working for any reason. No cellular voice calls but data works.

It depends on whether ISP blocks this move or not based on plan and other factors. In Telstra, they block SIM card moving to stop user from unfairly using their 4G (now also 5G) network.

 

[Greenmeenie]

I am still grandfathered in on the original AT&T unlimited data plan for the ipad, so i always get the cellular version and just transfer the plan to every new ipad i buy. But even if i wasn’t grandfathered in, i’d still get the cellular version cause I travel a lot, and prefer to always be connected. My 11” ipad pro is my main computing device.

 

[Khedron]

It depends on whether ISP blocks this move or not based on plan and other factors. In Telstra, they block SIM card moving to stop user from unfairly using their 4G (now also 5G) network.

How could you "unfairly" use a network. You can only put a SIM in one device at a time.

Anyway just get a cheap local pay as you go SIM when travelling.

 

[Shirasaki]

How could you "unfairly" use a network. You can only put a SIM in one device at a time.

Anyway just get a cheap local pay as you go SIM when travelling.

One simple example is using the mobile network as their home broadband if they have unlimited plan. Another simple example is using it to transfer multiple hundred GB of data, pirated content or not. These are “unfair” usage of a network.

 

[Khedron]

One simple example is using the mobile network as their home broadband if they have unlimited plan. Another simple example is using it to transfer multiple hundred GB of data, pirated content or not. These are “unfair” usage of a network.

No those are examples of false advertising. If you advertise unlimited then be prepared to deliver unlimited.

 

[willmtaylor]

No those are examples of false advertising. If you advertise unlimited then be prepared to deliver unlimited.

Unfortunately, that’s on the prerogative of most data providers. This type of policy is SOP in virtually every TOS contract.

 

[Shadowbech]

I was not aware of that. Still, I don't think a monthly fee is worth it.

There isn't a monthly fee associated with it if you choose the cellular data plan for the iPad (at least if it's pre-paid).

 

[willmtaylor]

There isn't a monthly fee associated with it if you choose the cellular data plan for the iPad (at least if it's pre-paid).

Perhaps I’m just ignorant, but this sounds contradictory.

It sounds like you’re saying that there isn’t a monthly fee if you pay the monthly fee.

I believe @kipwheeler meant that any monthly fee (regardless of whether for data or line access) wasn’t worth it for his use case. I could be wrong though.