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LTE MacBook Pro ???? Why not?
- Thread starter Arnezie
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I'd love to have an LTE MBP but it's a niche product. Folks who travel alot would benefit from it. But most folks who need cellular data will tether to their smartphone or use a small hotspot device. For most people, a hotspot device or a smartphone is a better value because they can also connect their other devices.
Sure, you could configure a MBP to be a 3G/4G/LTE hotspot, but that's not nearly as convenient if you aren't using it.
Apple tends to stick with technologies they believe are best for most consumers. Cellular data in a MBP is one of those niche technologies that would have quite a few customers, but in the grand scheme of things, might not be the best route for Apple.
I'd love to have one, you could have bigger and more powerful antennas, not have to plug in a device or drain another battery. BUT, I honestly don't believe, even as much as I tether, I'd use it. It provides more value for me to just tether to my iPhone, rather than paying an ADDITIONAL fee to AT&T for service on my MBP.
Apple has tested it though. Some time ago MacRumors posted a story on a prototype MBP that had 3G capabilities. So, they have worked on it. Who knows? They might surprise us.
Sure, you could configure a MBP to be a 3G/4G/LTE hotspot, but that's not nearly as convenient if you aren't using it.
Apple tends to stick with technologies they believe are best for most consumers. Cellular data in a MBP is one of those niche technologies that would have quite a few customers, but in the grand scheme of things, might not be the best route for Apple.
I'd love to have one, you could have bigger and more powerful antennas, not have to plug in a device or drain another battery. BUT, I honestly don't believe, even as much as I tether, I'd use it. It provides more value for me to just tether to my iPhone, rather than paying an ADDITIONAL fee to AT&T for service on my MBP.
Apple has tested it though. Some time ago MacRumors posted a story on a prototype MBP that had 3G capabilities. So, they have worked on it. Who knows? They might surprise us.
They already had a prototype for this, or at least for 3G. Uih, there even was an MR article about this.
I've been with AT&T since the original iPhone, but can always jump to another carrier if the need strikes, a two year commitment for a phone is a lot more reasonable for upgrade options than a laptop. Lets be honest most of us use our macbooks and pros for more than a few years 2-4-6 years easy, lets not make commitments like that just yet.
Way easier to tether to your iPhone or iPad.
Way easier to tether to your iPhone or iPad.
You don't necessarily have to have a commitment. Just pay full price for the machine. The commitments only exist alongside a carrier subsidy. I have 3G on my iPad with no commitment, I paid full price for the iPad so I can cancel anytime I want, switch to any GSM carrier, etc. AT&T does offer a subsidy on the iPad but it's only $100 and, to me, that's not worth a 2 year commitment. It's not like the $400+ subsidies you get on smartphones.
I think if this ever were released, the data plans would be identical to what you get on an iPad - just sign up for whatever data bucket you need, on a pre-paid basis, and start and stop the plan on the months you need it.
No contracts to worry about. The only reason I don't see this happening is that this would likely be a niche use-case, and probably wouldn't be worth the extra cost/engineering.
No contracts to worry about. The only reason I don't see this happening is that this would likely be a niche use-case, and probably wouldn't be worth the extra cost/engineering.
just buy a MIFI or hotspot your phone, theres no reason for integrated LTE connections in laptops due to the abundance of other connectivity options.
Using that logic there should be no reason there can't be built in LTE. If someone wants Verizon, get Verizon. If someone wants AT&T, get AT&T. Great flexibility for traveling overseas too, I'm game!
That's exactly it. There are a few of us who would like the convenience and robustness of just going up where the Wi-Fi is and connecting to 3G/4G/LTE (personally I'm not a fan of some of these new hotspots that don't support legacy technologies, what if you're out traveling with no LTE? 3G or even EDGE is better than nothing). But it's just not likely to be a big seller. Anyone who would need to be online on the go would likely also have a smartphone, and most of those are capable of tethering. And of course, there are personal hotspot devices, USB dongles, etc.
However, I think if Apple did do it, they could do it like they used to do Wi-Fi. When Apple first started using AirPort (their Wi-Fi solution) they didn't include it on every computer. They left it out to save cost, even on the notebooks (few people used it at first, Wi-Fi technology wasn't as common as it is now). However, on every Mac, from the (later) iMac's and eMacs, to the PowerMac and the various Apple notebooks, had the capability to have Airport added. With most models, the antennas were already installed, and there was a PCMCIA laptop card slot (even on the desktops), which you could use to stick a $99 AirPort card into to enable Wi-Fi.
Apple could do the same with the MBP, they could simply add an inexpensive cellular antenna into the display (where the AirPort antenna is) and leave a 'slot' open internally for the addition of the cellular radios. I actually kind of wish they still handled airport the way they used to, because you could ALSO easily upgrade your Wi-Fi internally. With Wireless AC around the corner (draft devices already for sale) it'd be nice if I could just swap my Wireless N airport card with a Wireless ac airport card (It certainly doesn't need to be as big as the old AirPort cards).
However, I don't see Apple doing it. It's a niche product. And again, I'm torn on whether or not I would honestly buy it. I'd like it, yes, but with an AT&T Mobile Share plan tethering is included free so I can already tether with my iPhone, so... what's the point?
I have ATT and get tethering included but that wasn't my question I have a 3G iPad why not a 3G LTE MacBook
People have been posting the question since the mid 2000s. Apple's never explained why they won't do that.
Because LTE will become dated and slow before the rest of the computer is outdated. Where as we can simply tether with our LTE phones which we upgrade more often.
Once a faster mobile broadband comes about you can simply upgrade your phone (or mobile broadband modem).
However thats just my view
Once a faster mobile broadband comes about you can simply upgrade your phone (or mobile broadband modem).
However thats just my view
For the number of adopters, I just dont think its something Apple will loose much sleep over.
Tethering to a mobile or using some sort of MiFi device probably does the same job for less money.
I certainly wouldnt be too happy if the MBP's price went up £100 for them to add mobile data connectivity.
Tethering to a mobile or using some sort of MiFi device probably does the same job for less money.
I certainly wouldnt be too happy if the MBP's price went up £100 for them to add mobile data connectivity.