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iPad Pro Cellular vs Wifi

The cellular is definitely handy to have. I just buy £5 EE cards preloaded with 2GB and activate them whenever I am travelling etc.

I love having the GPS because it allows me to use things like Ordnance Survey maps, Navigon, Trip Data and maps.me which are all fantastic on the ipad pro.

From a security perspective it is also good because if you lose your device or it is stolen you will be able to use find my iphone.
 
Newtons Apple said:
I use both WiFi when available and cellular when it is not. Cellular is so slow compared to WiFi. Even if I did not use Cellular, I would get it just for the improved GPS.
Click to expand...

Depends on where you are, I have found the opposite is true these days in the UK.

Cellular on EE is up to 10 times faster than wifi at home.

And in public WiFi locations, where I have tried to use it due to lack of cellular or to test it 9/10 it has been painfull either due to it being slow or having to sign up / sign in.... Then keep signing back in.
 
For me, cellular is a must-have aspect of the iPad.

Having a pervasive data connection for sales meetings, remote work, collaboration in new location, etc., all without thinking about tethering, etc.

Seamless connection to the internet is a big reason why I love the iPad.
 
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aka777 said:
Another benefit of the cellular version is that it’s a great hotspot for other devices.
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Yep I don't get tethering on att iPhones. So I can use the pro if my home cable internet goes down and still get my computer online via T-Mobile hotspot.
 
T-Mobile has some new excellent Data-only plans launching today.

T-Mobile also include Binge-On, which is unlimited video, and even Data Stash, which rollover of unused data for up to 12 months.

$20 gets you 2gb
$35 gets you 6gb

Nobody else comes even close to these data buckets, unlimited video, and data stash for the price.
 
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BadMelonFarmer said:
Depends on where you are, I have found the opposite is true these days in the UK.

Cellular on EE is up to 10 times faster than wifi at home.

And in public WiFi locations, where I have tried to use it due to lack of cellular or to test it 9/10 it has been painfull either due to it being slow or having to sign up / sign in.... Then keep signing back in.
Click to expand...

It also depends on YOUR cellular. Mine is screaming fast and I would never expect cellular to match it. I do not think it ever could.
 
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aka777 said:
T-Mobile has some new excellent Data-only plans launching today.

T-Mobile also include Binge-On, which is unlimited video, and even Data Stash, which rollover of unused data for up to 12 months.

$20 gets you 2gb
$35 gets you 6gb

Nobody else comes even close to these data buckets, unlimited video, and data stash for the price.
Click to expand...
except that you only get Binge on with the 3GB and up plans meaning you need to have the 6gb plan to get it.
 
I got the cellular version of the iPad 3 and I use my AT&T data for both mobile web browsing (when I'm not either at home or at Starbucks) and as a backup hotspot device. When I'm at home, I turn my cellular switch off and use my wifi hotspot device.
 
Honestly, with T-Mobile offering 200MB for free every month for life, if you live in the US and can pay the extra $130 for cellular, even if you plan on using it on Wi-Fi or tethering all the time, you should get the cellular model. The ability to receive notifications all the time and being able to track your iPad down if it gets lost or stolen seems worth it to me.
 
I think the arguments for both sides have been made, but wanted to add my experience. I've owned three iPads, the 2, 3, and now 9.7" Pro. The most recent two have had LTE. With the 3, I only turned it on a handful of times, but it was very useful, and it was before mobile hotspot was an option for me.

With the new Pro, Apple has made enabling mobile hotspot much easier - I don't have to mess with my phone, the iPad automatically finds the phone in my wifi settings and turns on hotspot. I still got LTE, though, because my phone isn't always available, and phone battery life is precious already.

I use the iPad a lot in the car, for podcasts and maps/Waze. The big screen and Split View means everything I need is on screen, and I'm not going back and forth between apps. And the best part is, my iPhone battery isn't wasted while I'm in the car.

For most people, it seems LTE isn't worth the cost, but it's absolutely worth the $130 up front plus monthly charges for me.
 
I don't know why I bought my Pro with LTE but it finally came in handy. My neighbors were going to drop the TV and Internet service at their Las Vegas house and I was going to tag along. I have a Verizon phone and my normal data usage is 200 meg a month on a 1 gig plan. I decided to activate the Pro so went to a Verizon store. I came out with 3 gig a month shared plan for $10 more a month. It came in handy. In the 3 days days we had no Internet service I chewed up 1.3 gig just in my normal daily web and email routine. My billing cycle ends today and I am back home using WiFi.

It is comforting to know if I happen to be without WiFi I can still get my internet fix. :)
 
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I have Binge enabled on my T mobile Ipad account with a 1gb plan: There is a switch that turns it on and off under your account. My daughter used it one night and did like 2gb of video streaming and it did not count against my data plan.

Is my tablet eligible for free streaming through Binge On?
Yes, you can stream unlimited video from YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Sling, ESPN, Showtime, Starz and more without ever using your 4G LTE data and you’ll get up to 3 times more video streaming from your data when streaming video on almost all other services with Binge On enabled. Binge On works great to stream video to your tablet or even when you use your tablet as a hotspot to watch a movie on your laptop.
 
Surprised that many want/need gps on the iPad. Using gps on anything but a phone seems counter-initiative. /shrug
 
ahostmadsen said:
So, seeing a big map on an iPad rather than a small one on a phone is counter-intuitive?
Click to expand...

Seeing the map is easier on the iPad...sure, but mounting the iPad to the dash or windshield is less common I would think.

Also, don't be so defensive. I'm not judging...just surprised is all.
 
bufffilm said:
Seeing the map is easier on the iPad...sure, but mounting the iPad to the dash or windshield is less common I would think.
Click to expand...

I've used my Air 2 in the field with topo maps loaded in Gaia GPS. I protect the Air 2 with an Otterbox Defender case and have a battery pack (or 2) as backup power. No replacement for the safety of paper maps and compass (and knowledge in how to use them) but it's a nice supplement to a handheld GPS with a small screen.

edit - should also mention the use case of marine mapping on a boat/ship.
 
One weird reason:

A. Personal hotspot kills battery on my phone.

2. I can choose carriers on-demand. If I'm in a spot where my current carrier has bad cell coverage, I can purchase a temporary plan from another carrier on the iPad without any fuss.

D. I used to have a Wifi-only iPad. Then one time I was traveling, and for several days the only usable internet connection I had was on my iPhone. Then... I misplaced my iPhone. Couldn't use my laptop nor my iPad to track it, because my internet connection... WAS my missing iPhone. Ultimately I found it after driving 30 minutes to a Starbucks with WiFi, then driving back 30 minutes to locate where I dropped it. that whole time anyone could've picked it up and taken it though, and I would've been screwed.

Ever since, I've been more than willing to pay more for the cellular iPad. And it's gotten me out of a lot of tight situations.
 
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Since my iPad is my main computing device, I decided to go all in with it and have the option without the need.. Yet. I want to travel later this year and being connected is always nice without having to hunt for wifi all the time. Not to mention, if it gets lost or stolen you can find it a lot easier than wifi only.
Most people just tether their phones for data wifi but in Canada, there is no such thing as a good, cheap phone data plan, I'm hoping that canadian providers finally pick up a bit and offer something worth buying.
 
Hey Guys, i have a problem with my ipad air. After the 9.3 update, i've been completely blocked out icloud servers. I've restored (twice) updated to 9.3.1 but it still have the same problem, i'm still locked out. What should i do?
 
Frederick C said:
Hey Guys, i have a problem with my ipad air. After the 9.3 update, i've been completely blocked out icloud servers. I've restored (twice) updated to 9.3.1 but it still have the same problem, i'm still locked out. What should i do?
Click to expand...

See a Genius at a local store.
 
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IBMJunkman said:
I don't know why I bought my Pro with LTE but it finally came in handy. My neighbors were going to drop the TV and Internet service at their Las Vegas house and I was going to tag along. I have a Verizon phone and my normal data usage is 200 meg a month on a 1 gig plan. I decided to activate the Pro so went to a Verizon store. I came out with 3 gig a month shared plan for $10 more a month. It came in handy. In the 3 days days we had no Internet service I chewed up 1.3 gig just in my normal daily web and email routine. My billing cycle ends today and I am back home using WiFi.

It is comforting to know if I happen to be without WiFi I can still get my internet fix. :)
Click to expand...

So in order to save a $10 one-time overage you activated a permanent $10/month addition to your bill?
 
For me, several reasons. First, a wifi only iPad just feels 'incomplete' and for a 12.9" Pro, I might as well just go all the way. Also, I'm starting to use my pro as a hybrid laptop so when I go to meet with my mortgage officer, I don't have to rely on the bank's spotty wifi, or try to tether to my phone and drain my phone battery. I also like stuff to be just pushed straight to my iPad without having to wait to connect it to tethering before getting a barrage of notifications. The more I use LTE on my iPad Pro, I'm starting to wish I had cellular built into my MacBook Pro too, but the Mac is an entirely different beast.
 
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