Perhaps, but then people would think why buy a laptop over an iPad at all? Because it will take a while for apps to work with ARM like they do with Intel.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
DigiTimes: Apple to Launch MacBooks with Cellular 5G Connectivity in Second Half of 2020
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Perhaps, but then people would think why buy a laptop over an iPad at all? Because it will take a while for apps to work with ARM like they do with Intel.
I am working on my MBP and needing connections probably 6-8 hours a day so tethering is a non-starter; from a battery life and tethering data cap perspective.
Laptops are not handheld devices, even though it is considered a portable. Smartphones and tablets, yet are handheld devices. Most people sit down at use a laptop, not always the case with a smartphone and varied with tablets depending on size and tasks being completed. If you are going to sit down it is probably at a coffee shop and most of them have wifi services.
If you are going to work in the field you already have a smartphone to tether for wifi/data services as most will use their smartphone for gps, emergency calls, etc. Smartphones also have the added benefit to be placed in a higher location to acquire a cell signal if in an area with dead or dropped signal zones and wifi to connect to. If you have signal issues with your laptop it makes it very awkward to acquire a signal and work at the same time, kinda defeating the purpose.
The people who require cell service on a laptop are very very few and the benefits are few to the drawbacks suck as battery life, added mobile plans and how much usage one would actually get. Having a separate cell signal/plan on say AW makes more sense as one can use it for GPS or making an emergency phone call when required. It would be nice if one could connect via wifi to an AW and use it's data.
[doublepost=1564774897][/doublepost]
Yes, let's create and provide an option for a handful of people who don't want to tether. More SKU's please.
Sounds like a problem with the type of data plan you have with your cell company and if you require that many hours of data are you living in the jungle or the bottom of a canyon. Time to get the internet and wifi in your home mate.
Last edited:
I think the limited battery life of an Apple Watch will make that last option only an emergency option. If using your phone as a hotspot already drains your battery pretty fast, an Apple Watch will drain even faster.
Well, you seem to have a solution to it now since 5G is no where near being widely deployed. Maybe in your case, you are exception, not the rule.
Battery life is an issue with many mobile devices that is something that Apple really needs to step up they game. Seriously it is shameful enough that there are commercials from competitors and then Apple promoting the XR that is supposed to be their budget phones with superb battery life.
Maybe a cuff battery option for an AW would be welcomed, you hear me KickStarter.
Having cell signal on a laptop would have a similar problem of lowering its battery life usage, it is not a problem that is easily fixed unless the silicone can match. People complain about the MBP being throttled due to limited thermal design, imagine one with cell ability, most will just turn that option off to extend workflow and have it connect when needed, in this situation you have the option to tether.
Before people say well you can use an external USB-C battery for your laptop, newsflash you can do the same for a phone and being less cumbersome compared to a laptop that the ports can be used for external drives, etc.
Though compared to the Apple Watch battery, the additional strain on a laptop battery is massively lower.
Yes, I agree but that is if Apple decides to add a slot to put in a sim card and allow an eSim.
Ah I see what you mean. Yeah when they start making their own chips, if they do in fact incorporate the modem into main CPU, I could see them selling not just a wifi iPad and wifi + cellular iPad or MacBook and MacBook + cellular, but just...iPad. And MacBooks. Then if the customer wants to activate the built-in cellular option they can.
It's certainly possible and definitely makes sense, but will Apple think that efficiently is the question
[doublepost=1564779221][/doublepost]
Imagine a near future where we have data plans for everything: the watch, phone, tablet, laptop. And these devices are already expensive on their own right before you even activate the service... Yikes! I'd be willing to bet if these companies (not just Apple) felt they could reasonably justify putting a cellular modem in a toaster, they absolutely would.
Yes, let's create and provide an option for a handful of people who don't want to tether. More SKU's please.
Sounds like a problem with the type of data plan you have with your cell company and if you require that many hours of data are you living in the jungle or the bottom of a canyon. Time to get the internet and wifi in your home mate.
As a road warrior, an all in one solution would be useful; and there are more than a handful of us. My high speed fiber at home is pretty useless when I am not there; and not every MBP user just needs a cheap device to check email and surf the web a few minutes a day.
I'm amazed how on one hand people complain about using an adapter to go from USB-A to C but somehow think tethering is acceptable even though it requires carrying around yet another device.
In addition, as 5G becomes widespread you'll be able to have one connection at home and away from home.
[doublepost=1564780163][/doublepost]
True, but 5G would make life a lot easier, especially if it's one account for home, office and travel. There's no reason to stick to outdated technology as newer ones come into being.
So let’s see:
iPhone cell contract
iPad cell contract
Apple Watch cell add on fee
MacBook cell fee/contract
Nope
-Just iPhone for me with tethering-
iPhone cell contract
iPad cell contract
Apple Watch cell add on fee
MacBook cell fee/contract
Nope
-Just iPhone for me with tethering-
Sounds cool, but in the end I’d rather have this as it seems a lot more practical. Being able to easily switch out SIM cards, connect multiple devices, etc.
Hauwei 4G LTE Mobile WiFi Hotspot
Hauwei 4G LTE Mobile WiFi Hotspot
As soon as I read your comments, I went back to the article and this time instead of seeing "Digitimes" when I scanned it, my brain automatically converted it to "High Times".
Theoretically it would. I watched a WSJ video about 5G and you actually have to be in line of sight to get the best benefit. Go in doors or walk a fe meters away and it downgrades to 4G. So, even when this thing goes mainstream, it will be a few years more before you stop seeing 4G on a 5G capable phone.
I personally will wait until either 2021 or 2022 before I upgrade my iPhone X.
I tether a lot and it's not so flawless to me. Sometimes it has a very hard time linking up with my iPhone and then if you sleep your laptop, you have to link up again.
I wouldn't find having cellular wireless on my MBP a requirement, but it would be welcome.
Would be helpful when traveling abroad, assuming it has some sort of “buy temporary plans on-the-fly” functionality like is present in iPad. Tethering when overseas is not a good idea.
Do you know that for certain? One iOS devices are using power efficient ARM silicone and Mac are using x64, which are a far cry at energy efficiency compared to ARM. Is it possible to have a hybrid like Mac, possible however at present we have the T2 chip just for the touchbar and battery life is still to be desired.
Two Windows laptop have had this ability for years and the market is isolated to a few groups, there is added cost and most people would rather opt for a smartphone with a wifi laptop as they spend most of that time at home, coffee shops, school an airport, you know where wifi is available.
People complain about the laptop prices now, imagine a $100 premium for a cellular version similar to the iPad. Yep I can see it being a big seller.
Plus an expensive standalone or companion data plan to be paid each month. People replace they AW and phones frequently compared to Mac. Let’s get real here only a few are asking for this and the rest know a solution existed and still does. What can be done is it being more seem-less and that can be accomplished by software.
Hope my font don’t mess up with yours.
Just look at iPad. If adding cellular activity is useless on Mac, so does on iPad, yet iPad has cellular version for when the iPad was born. Why? Because having a separate connection from home wifi is a huge dealbreaker for some people and when iPhone battery dies, iPad can be used for emergency contact. Sure, these are extreme cases, but Apple still keeps making cellular iPads.
I welcome this change to have MacBook with cellular connectivity and always value having a backup to remain connected. So does a lot of other people. Cellular MacBook, just like cellular iPad, is not for everyone. But I am sure cellular MacBook will sell, and sell well.
Except, tethering drains battery of both devices battery. And anyone who travels a lot can benefit from having cellular on MacBook. Also, since iPhone is so critical for many purposes, I would like to offload the internet access from iPhone, so that when I need to use iPhone, I have an iPhone to use.
Regarding the plan, if carrier prepaid plan exist, go and grab one. If MacBook cellular supports SIM card, I am more than happy to use that SIM card slot to activate a prepaid plan for occasional wifi-free internet use.
Apple tried iPhone 5c with plastic. Failed. I don’t think Apple will go back to plastic anytime soon.
You do realize at present many people do not even get 4G/LTE speeds everywhere, what is more realistic is 3G. In most cities LTE signal is very strong and wifi is highly available. If you are going to conduct your work on a laptop that only gets 3G which is no better than a phone in certain areas you are better off moving to another location. It is far easier to walk around with a cellphone in hand to observe signal strength and network speed compared to doing that with a laptop, plus it is inconvenient and looks ridiculous. If you are going to walk around with your cell phone to obtain a strong signal you might as well use that to your advantage as there are times where even a foot below will effect the devices signal received, not going to get into the technical details. Try holding your laptop to head level to get a signal and conduct work at the same time.
A phone is what people have with them all the time when travelling or just anytime. More people have they phones accompany them into the toilet compared to a laptop, that companies have IPX ratings. If you are in a dusty environment guess what that MacBook Pro will eat dirt, that is why companies have environment specific equipment like ToughBooks.
I believe the sentiment is that no one likes dongles, which not the same as a phone where it can work independently. You can use a laptop or smartphone on it’s own you cannot use a USB-C to A dongle to use independently and there is wifi transfer for most. People wanted to move large data files or charge they phones and moving large files between devices does not happen often enough which leads me to believe it is overblown.
That is why you have a cellphone it is always connected and with you. I have yet to meet one person who roams around with they laptop and not have a cellphone with them. What next making phones calls and FaceTime on your 5G laptop while walking around town and here I thought the idea of using an iPad as a phone or camera was ridiculous looking.
Two types of 5G which only cause complexity and confusion along with frustration. Plus companies cannot presently cover 4G/LTE in some areas and you believe they will do better with 5G.
You are funny, if so inclined get an cellular modem dongle that connects to your devices, I believe it is still made unless due to a lack of demand it just made sense to use a cell phone instead.
The delay had a bunch to do with qualcomm and with the carriers. The carriers were willing to do cheapish pay-by-the-month plans for iPads, which they thought would be low-data-usage, but they had a legacy model of charging a ton for laptop connectivity. And qualcomm demands a % of the total device cost for their license fee - that would be a huge chunk of change for a $2500+ laptop.