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iPad Pro Replacing iPhone w/iPad at Home

blairh

blairh

macrumors 603
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
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Curious if anyone else has essentially placed their iPhone to the side and are exclusively (more or less) using their iPad instead at home.

Recently I took some actions with my iPad so I would essentially never need to use my iPhone at home.

I pinned the web app of WhatsApp to my home screen.

I enabled the ability to receive and respond to SMS on my iPad.

I enabled iMessage (which I hadn't previously).

I enabled Calls on Other Devices for my iPad.

With my iPhone docked in my bedroom or home office, I can just use my iPad at home and not miss anything.

Curious if anyone else does this? I wish I had taken all these steps a long time ago. I basically don't need my iPhone now until I leave my home.
 
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blairh said:
With my iPhone docked in my bedroom or home office, I can just use my iPad at home and not miss anything.

Curious if anyone else does this? I wish I had taken all these steps a long time ago. I basically don't need my iPhone now until I leave my home.
Click to expand...

I’ve done this for years.

I’m US-based and most folks here have unlimited messages on their plans so iMessage + SMS/MMS works just fine. No need for WhatsApp.

With WiFi calling enabled on the iPhone and iPad, I can even use the iPad for regular calls as long as there’s internet. Quite useful when I forget my iPhone at home.
 
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Yes here too, iPhone only for traveling. iPad for everything at home, including Google Voice (app) for phone calls and texting, and iMessage for Apple device messaging.
 
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I do use my iPad for messaging at home, but (even though my MFi hearing aids work flawlessly with the iPad) I still make & receive calls on the phone. The reason is mobility. I tuck the phone into my breast pocket & I'm free to walk around.

I suppose it’s more habit than anything really though… my iPad mini fits in a hip pocket. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ maybe I’ll give it a try!
 
blairh said:
Curious if anyone else has essentially placed their iPhone to the side and are exclusively (more or less) using their iPad instead at home.

Recently I took some actions with my iPad so I would essentially never need to use my iPhone at home.

I pinned the web app of WhatsApp to my home screen.

I enabled the ability to receive and respond to SMS on my iPad.

I enabled iMessage (which I hadn't previously).

I enabled Calls on Other Devices for my iPad.

With my iPhone docked in my bedroom or home office, I can just use my iPad at home and not miss anything.

Curious if anyone else does this? I wish I had taken all these steps a long time ago. I basically don't need my iPhone now until I leave my home.
Click to expand...
I thought about doing this to limit my screen time but then realised I would just be replacing one screen for another. although maybe the iPad being larger and not as handy it might make me cut down.

my iPhone screen time say is use it for an average of 8 hours a day!
 
iPhone on magsafe dock in bedroom, iPad in front room and Watch SE upstairs in my loft. Now I have a phone wherever I am at home! :rolleyes:
 
I’ve been using an iPad Mini in place of my iPhone at home for a long while. The reason for me is that I like a small phone when I’m out because I prefer the mobility and I‘m not a heavy user when I’m out, but at home I am a heavy user and there I don’t need as much mobility.
The iPad has mostly worked well for this, but not perfectly. There are still some things that I need my phone for—checking voicemail, local files/photos on my phone, certain apps that are iPhone only (with no web version), or if there is an iPad version they don’t sync all info. Lately, my work requires only my phone for 2FA, but I’m hoping this is a temporary situation. And things like call forwarding isn’t 100% consistent, so I sometimes miss calls with no way of even knowing until I check my phone (I don’t believe iPad can show missed calls). I could wear my Apple Watch at home to help mitigate a few of these issues, but I don’t like wearing a watch if I don’t have to.
But most of these issues are infrequent enough that I’m willing to live with them. Maybe my biggest complaint is that I wish I could fit the iPad Mini into more of my pockets and hold it more comfortably. Because of its size, I end up leaving it in one room or another and am often looking around for it. My ideal size would be the old Nexus 7, but I would settle for the smaller screen of an iPhone Plus/Max, except there are more issues with using an iPhone as a secondary device—namely I can’t initiate phone calls and SMS messages from it using my main number.
 
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At home my phone is only used for cellular things. So I already (mostly) do this.
 
I don't even own iPhone: Cellular iPad Mini with Voip app and buds covers the telephony needs for me at home and on the road. 5G cell data plan works out to only $25 PER YEAR. Nobody seems to notice unless they are with me when I use it that way. Current VOIP app of choice is the free Google Voice, but there are MANY VOIP apps.

I also have the obihai hardware setup installed which links landline wireless phones (and alarm) to the same Google Voice service. So most calls at home are handled on actual phones. It all "just works" fine for my purposes.
 
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HobeSoundDarryl said:
I don't even own iPhone: Cellular iPad Mini with Voip app and buds covers the telephony needs for me at home and on the road. 5G cell data plan works out to only $25 PER YEAR. Nobody seems to notice unless they are with me when I use it that way. Current VOIP app of choice is the free Google Voice, but there are MANY VOIP apps.

I also have the obihai hardware setup installed which links landline wireless phones (and alarm) to the same Google Voice service. So most calls at home are handled on actual phones. It all "just works" fine for my purposes.
Click to expand...
Mostly here too. Former AT&T home landline phones now connect free with Obihai OBi200 Google Voice phone adapter (now Polycom OBI300). Same Google Voice account on all iPads and iPhones as well. All calls ring, can be answered, and initiated on all devices. When traveling no need for an iPhone with a cellular iPad, data plan, and Google Voice.

Though not clear to me if similarly an iPhone can be used for calls with a VOIP app and data plan only SIM card and no LTE voice service.
 
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I have multiple magsafe stands all around the home (3D prints with off-brand pucks), the phone gets docked wherever I stay (study, kitchen, bedroom) and I mostly use a mini to casually browse.

But I have a strict policy with my entourage about non-scheduled phone calls, so this helps.
 
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Surfsalot said:
all not to necessary when you have a iPhone though, call clarity is never then same, but I am sure you will tell me it is lol
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Actually, the call quality and clarity are much better on the iPad Pro than the iPhone or watch when using the speakers. It sounds exactly the same when using my Air pods Pro on phone, iPad, or watch.;)
 
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I personally prefer the iPhone 15 Pro Max, because all apps are optimised for the iPhone first and foremost and they work good enough.

If I do anything "serious", it's on the 16" M1 Max MacBook Pro with multiple external monitors.
 
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