All iPads iPad mini as a phone...

[0989384]

Hello, interesting question here for you guys...

I have a 16GB iPhone 6 Plus and I'm thinking of replacing it in January due to the small memory. One of my parents said they'll get me the new iPhone but the 7 with 128GB is £700!!! That's a damn lot of money. And I don't really want a 6S as it's only £100 cheaper and an extra years older technology. The SE is the most realistic alternative I'd consider but then it's quite small.

I'm thinking of getting an iPad Mini with cellular data and using it as a phone. The main problem being, you can't make calls on it but this is why I need your help, I was thinking of using Skype to buy a phone number so that I could make calls and receive calls just like a phone! And carry headphones for speaking in public and the loudspeaker for other times.

It would be perfect for university lectures, navigation in the car, movies etc and very productive over a phone..

Are there any sort of major flaws I'm missing?

 

[ericwn]

Well, if you have an Apple Watch you currently need an iPhone still. Other than that, I have thought along those lines myself. For the rare phone or Facetime call an iPad could probably replace an iPhone. Consider some other scenarios though: What happens if you take a long walk somewhere - I'm sure you won't always want to carry the mini. Will you be comfortable with not being available all the time? That's an issue for some folks these days already.

 

[0989384]

I don't have an Apple Watch, but thanks for the reminder to give it thought.

I'd picture myself taking a backpack everywhere with the Mini in it. Though that would be a bit inconvenient.

Right now I find myself on the dark side (the S*msung website...) haha

 

[robotica]

Why don't you get an iPad and then a crappy phone?

 

[0989384]

Why don't you get an iPad and then a crappy phone?

That's quite a good idea.

Question is, do I get a cellular iPad + dumb phone , or a Wifi iPad and a phone that can tether?

 

[robotica]

That's quite a good idea.

Question is, do I get a cellular iPad + dumb phone , or a Wifi iPad and a phone that can tether?

If money was no object for me I would get the wifi and cellular iPad, saying that my iPad never leaves my house!

Have a good think about your needs then decide

 

[3pp]

Most dumb phones can tether now anyway. All seems a bit convoluted for the sake of saving a hundred quid or so. Why not get the iPhone 7 on Apple's interest free payment plan if you're concerned about the high up front?

 

[Jim Nasium]

I use only an ipad mini and no phone.

If you have an ipad with cell data modem, you just need an app called freetone. It gives you a phone number with voice messaging and you can text non-apple devices.

Just hold the ipad mini with the speaker end closer to your ear and the power button end down by your mouth.

Works like a charm and saves you big money. Ipad mini is cheaper than the phone, and has a bigger screen than the plus phone. It is size plus plus or plus squared.

 

[Starfia]

I love technology and use my Mac for hours every day, and I haven't had any traditional phone or TV service for about a decade. Skype and FaceTime work fine for the occasional live call (but for me, after acclimating people to the idea that I'm genuinely more responsive to e-mail, that's turned out to happen two or three times a month at most). That said, I've never embraced constant contactability and don't use cellular either; since I'm almost always reachable at home, I like not being reachable when I'm out or on a walk, that sort of thing.

 

[sorcery]

Another advantage of the iPad + dumbphone scenario is the latter's weeks long battery life.

 

[Channan]

I would probably use my iPad mini as my only phone if I didn't get free service on my iPhone. For me, there's no reason to not have a phone at all when my phone bill is non-existent.

I recommend it to anyone in the US who gets decent Sprint coverage.

 

[lyngo]

I would probably use my iPad mini as my only phone if I didn't get free service on my iPhone. For me, there's no reason to not have a phone at all when my phone bill is non-existent.

I recommend it to anyone in the US who gets decent Sprint coverage.

How's that work out? Free service?

 

[Channan]

How's that work out? Free service?

It's a US carrier. Not sure if anything like this exists in other countries.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ringplus-free-phone-service.1968661/

With them, I have 5250 minutes, SMS, MMS, and MB of data (soon to be 6000 of each) every month and all it cost me was $38 (~$43 after taxes and fees) one time when I first signed up for the plan several months ago.

I do actually pay $1.99/month for tethering, but that's optional. Otherwise, there's absolutely no monthly bill.

 

[sonicrobby]

I use google hangouts on my iPad to text and call non-imessage people. I always want the iPad to replace my phone because I use the iPad 90% of the time compared to the iPhone.

As others have mentioned, these are the shortcomings:
-Camera quality: one of the best features of the phone was always the camera. It takes fantastic quality photos! The iPad on the other hand takes pictures that sometimes look a bit grainy.

-High traffic public use: so the iPad is no big deal to take into a restaurant or going to a friends house. But I always had the problem to figure out how to carry and use the iPad in places such as downtown (when bar hopping), or concerts. It's more crowded and crime ridden than other places in the city, and there is always this fear that the iPad becomes an easier target than the iPhone. Also on occasional times when I go to the park to run, the iPhone is a bit more convenient for both music and fitness tracking, the iPad not so much.

That being said, I still marvel at the idea of using my iPad as my phone, as it would cut my phone costs to only about $30/month. I just haven't figured out a way to replace it in every way.

Let me know what you end up doing because I'm very curious to know how other people who have successfully tried this, experience it.