Apple offers cellular comms as an option on the entire iPad range (and possibly the MacBook Pro if rumours are true). But is it worth spending $250 – $350?
When the first iPads were released, carriers either restricted access to tethering or charged a premium for it. That meant that adding cellular comms to your iPad in order to use it when away from Wi-Fi.
Thankfully, things have moved on and using the iPhone’s Personal Hotspot feature has become easier than ever. Access to the tethering is now ubiquitous and the iPhone is so common and data allowances are sufficiently generous that the need to pay that premium for integrated cellular comms is greatly diminished.
I’ve owned iPads since the very first was released in April 2010. Over that time, I’ve had a couple of cellular capable models but have, for the most part, relied on access to Wi-Fi and tethering to stay connected.
Other than taking a few seconds for the iPad to find the shared Wi-Fi connection from my iPhone, not having integrated cellular comms has not impacted my use of the iPad.
The case for a cellular-equipped iPad
There are some applications where having constant cellular comms on an iPad is critical. For example, law enforcement and emergency services around the world use vehicle-mounted iPads to send and receive critical information.
Similarly, people who work from their cars or use their iPads in places where carrying an iPhone is inconvenient may find that a cellular connected iPad is what they need.
But I suggest that these users are in the minority.
Of course, there are those that will buy a cellular-equipped iPad simply because it’s a little easier to use than relying on tethering.
In my view, the case for integrated cellular can only be made for some specific niches. But for the majority of people, it’s a nice-to-have feature and not a must have.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.
Once upon a time I had a Google Nexus 7, wifi-only model. I also had a cellular iPad 3 at the same time. The Nexus 7 had GPS capability, which you only get on iPads if you opt for the cellular version.
If you’re planning on using the mapping capability of an iPad, then you need the cellular version, but you don’t need to have it connected, getting data from a phone’s wireless hotspot can enable the mapping feature.
That’s a very good point.