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icanboogie

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 12, 2008
160
5
Berlin
Could the iPad mini have a phone app integrated? (and the necessary gsm/3g/4g tech)

I think it would be really, really sweet to have a 7" smartphone tablet!

iPad 9,7" just isnt working because of size and weight, but the mini could be really good at this. With a (bluetooth or cable) headset you wouldn't have to hold it to your ear – but in contrast to the original iPad, you could very well do this without looking too stupid.

anyway, this would possibly mean two differently priced ipad minis:
one cheap one to compete with nexus etc, and one premium model to be in line with iPhone 5....

what do you think?
 

Night Spring

macrumors G5
Jul 17, 2008
14,598
7,768
I dont think the mini will come with phone function, but if it comes with a cellular data option like the regular-size ipad, then you could just use Skype or FaceTime. Even on my iPhone, I use FaceTime to talk to my mom, so we can avoid long-distance phone charges. ;)
 

Breaking Good

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2012
1,449
1,225
I was talking with someone yesterday that had a Samsung Galaxy Note "Taplet". He said he was very happy with it.

While it is possible, I don't think the market is large enough to justify it.

As the OP points out, with Bluetooth functionality, you would not have to hold it to your head. You would also be able to make calls and look and work on the "taplet" at the same time.

While I see usefulness, I just don't see a market.

You also run into the problem of how to you pay for the wireless voice and data service. I'm not sure many people would want to give up their small Smartphone for a taplet. I think most people are looking for something to complement their Smartphone, not replace it.
 

wrkactjob

macrumors 65816
Feb 29, 2008
1,357
0
London
Just purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 3G, (as my iPad got stolen at work) this has phone/text capability and is a nice function to have should I ever need it and not have my phone to hand.

Am loving the screen size of this device but possibly will still buy the new iPad mini if it does come out.

The size is great for web,movies and games and very pocketable.

Doubt I will ever go back to a full size iPad again.
 

appswipe

macrumors 6502
Aug 18, 2012
282
0
While Bluetooth, Speakerphones and EarPods would make phone functionality possible, its still too large to actually be pocketable so it would be unlikely.
 

BuddyMac

macrumors member
Dec 30, 2007
58
0
Great!!!

like the idea of 'icanboogie'

Even if Apple doesn't want to make it useable as Phone, Some third party developers can think of it and make an App for it.
 

corvus32

macrumors 6502a
Sep 4, 2009
761
0
USA
I rarely use the phone, so I canceled AT&T a while back and have been using the Line 2 app with my iPhone over wifi. Now, i use it with my iPad mini. Works great, and $10 a month is a whole lot cheaper than the $80 a month I was paying AT&T. In fact, I traded-in my iPhone 4 at Bestbuy which knock $170 off the price of the Mini.
 
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