Apple 'iPad mini' to be Wi-Fi only, report says

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 41


    I know this is anecdotal...but Chris Breen of MacWorld said he bought a 3G iPad for use when he may be on vacation without access to wifi.


     


    He used it twice in a year! I bought an iPad2 wifi only and will buy an iPad7" wifi only, too.


     


    The last thing I will ever do is give ATT or Sprint another $15 to $30 a mo.


     


    Cell and cable companies are all bloodsuckers! 

  • Reply 22 of 41
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    I think if there is an iPad mini it will WiFi-only. Cellular simply costs too much. Even the Kindle Fire HD only has cellular as an option in the larger model and with extra capacity.
  • Reply 23 of 41


    It depends on the price point Apple is shooting for with the iPad mini.  Sure you can easily say Apple commands a higher price point and they get it, but there is also reality here, 7 inch tablets are cheap and people are buying them in droves so if Apple is going to cut into that dance and do it in a big way (as expected) they can't be charging $400 when everyone else is $200 or less.

  • Reply 24 of 41
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post


    I know this is anecdotal...but Chris Breen of MacWorld said he bought a 3G iPad for use when he may be on vacation without access to wifi.


     


    He used it twice in a year! I bought an iPad2 wifi only and will buy an iPad7" wifi only, too.


     


    The last thing I will ever do is give ATT or Sprint another $15 to $30 a mo.


     


    Cell and cable companies are all bloodsuckers! 



    But if you want GPS it only comes with the cellular model which also offers a data plan should you ever change your mind. You are not obligated to purchase the plan or even the iPad model that offers it. It is an option. I personally use LTE on my iPad all the time. I never use free wireless (without password) because it is insecure. Furthermore with AT&T I can use their MX server without having to jump through hoops with our corporate server which requires POP before SMPT for security. That way I can use Mail to send messages without any hassles.

  • Reply 25 of 41
    if apple want to compromise the price point, they don't have a choice. if they will make cell/wifi capable ipad mini, price will be $120 more just like new ipad 4G. but who will buy this little 7 inch tablet with $120 more? besides, ipad mini won't have retina display, faster A6, and so-so hardware spec. it can't take advantage of other competitors. no way. apple will suicide, completely fail. as I said before, ipad mini is a big mistake. they should keep bigger ipad line. 7 inch market is too tight, has no space to penetrate. it's not 2007 that iphone was successful. the game is changed. apple can't compete with google, amazon with lower price.
  • Reply 26 of 41
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member


    start the "Apple is screwing it's customers with the non 3G/4G iPad mini" thread.

  • Reply 27 of 41
    bsenkabsenka Posts: 799member
    archurban wrote: »
    if apple want to compromise the price point, they don't have a choice. if they will make cell/wifi capable ipad mini, price will be $120 more just like new ipad 4G. but who will buy this little 7 inch tablet with $120 more? besides, ipad mini won't have retina display, faster A6, and so-so hardware spec. it can't take advantage of other competitors. no way. apple will suicide, completely fail. as I said before, ipad mini is a big mistake. they should keep bigger ipad line. 7 inch market is too tight, has no space to penetrate. it's not 2007 that iphone was successful. the game is changed. apple can't compete with google, amazon with lower price.

    I keep reading people saying this has to be a cheaper version. I don't want a cheaper model, I only want a smaller one. I'll buy it if it costs the same as the 10" version. What I won't buy, is one that has much of the iPad-ness stripped out of it just to make it cheaper.
  • Reply 28 of 41
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by jungmark View Post

    start the "Apple is screwing it's customers with the non 3G/4G iPad mini" thread.


     


    Lackofcellulartelephonygate.

  • Reply 29 of 41
    isheldonisheldon Posts: 570member
    Will the headphone jack be on the bottom?
  • Reply 30 of 41
    Lackofcellulartelephonygate.

    Imaginarycrisisgate for imaginary product that doesn't exist yet.
  • Reply 31 of 41
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    I think if there is an iPad mini it will WiFi-only. Cellular simply costs too much. Even the Kindle Fire HD only has cellular as an option in the larger model and with extra capacity.


     


    But keep in mind the iPads are contract-free. Active the 3G only when you need it and the costs aren't as bad as the contract for a phone. Plus at least in the US, both Verizon and ATT now have their shared data plans, so adding a tablet is just $10/month. Bonus for Verizon customers: that (in a way) gets you simultaneous voice (on the phone) and data (on the tablet). :-)

  • Reply 32 of 41
    joshajosha Posts: 901member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post



    When I first heard the rumors (read them, actually) about an iPad mini, I thought.."ugh..why?" But I've rethought it. In fact, I think I'd actually buy one before a larger iPad. My issue with the iPad is I can't justify the cost. I would use it for an e-reader and some light surfing. I don't travel enough to use it for many movies, games, etc. And if I want to work, I really want my actual laptop.

    Either way, I wouldn't get a cell-equipped model. I'll take a mini for $249, please!




    I desired a "mini" iPad some time ago. I have an iPhone, wife has an iPad. My need was mainly for book reading and limited net access.  Cell access not needed!


    Couldn't wait for Apple, so I bought a 7" BB Playbook on a real deal.  The PB is far from matching Apple's iDevices, in fact it fails to connect to some WiFi  hotspots, but I'm stuck with it for now.


    At least it accesses my local library and some online book sites.

  • Reply 33 of 41
    mcarlingmcarling Posts: 1,106member


    Given how fractured the worldwide LTE market is these days, with different chips needed for different markets, I think this is a smart move on Apple's part.  Customer's who need an integrated cellular capability can buy the 9.7inch iPad.  Waiting a year before introducing cellular data to the iPad Mini also allows Apple to introduce LTE to the 9.7inch iPad first, which is appropriate for the high end.

  • Reply 34 of 41
    tylerk36tylerk36 Posts: 1,037member


    No it has to have a cell unit.

  • Reply 35 of 41
    jnjnjnjnjnjn Posts: 588member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by fyngyrz View Post



    Hmm. With the iPad, cellular was bundled with GPS.

    If the "mini" comes without cellular, I'm down with that. Never used it on my original iPad, either.

    If the "mini" doesn't have GPS... not the least interested. The thing has to know where it is or a whole swath of astronomical applications won't work; I use the iPad out in the field all the time.

    Be interesting to see just what this machine is. And the price, of course.

    Hoping for an IR emitter too, a smaller iPad would make a great remote for a home theater system, just as the Ipad does for non-IR control. My HT hardware has its own web server, but IR control is the way to go for most systems and auxiliary devices.


     


    Good point.


    A wifi ipad can have a cellular network connection via tethering, so that's not a problem at all.


    GPS location info could be obtained via the tethering device but I don't thing this will work via the default API's.


     


    J.

  • Reply 36 of 41

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iSheldon View Post



    Will the headphone jack be on the bottom?




    For sure, when Apple launches innovative features. They propagate them to all products.

  • Reply 37 of 41


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tylerk36 View Post


    No it has to have a cell unit.



     


    It doesn't have to have anything. Anyone who makes absolute declarations like this have been proven wrong over and over again.


     


    Quote:


    Originally Posted by fyngyrz View Post



    Hmm. With the iPad, cellular was bundled with GPS.

    If the "mini" comes without cellular, I'm down with that. Never used it on my original iPad, either.

    If the "mini" doesn't have GPS... not the least interested. The thing has to know where it is or a whole swath of astronomical applications won't work; I use the iPad out in the field all the time.

    Be interesting to see just what this machine is. And the price, of course.

    Hoping for an IR emitter too, a smaller iPad would make a great remote for a home theater system, just as the Ipad does for non-IR control. My HT hardware has its own web server, but IR control is the way to go for most systems and auxiliary devices.




    Kind of agree. I see how Apple bundles GPS and cellular. But there are clear cases when GPS alone would not only suffice but may be ideal. Hard to please everyone, though.

  • Reply 38 of 41

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    I think if there is an iPad mini it will WiFi-only. Cellular simply costs too much. Even the Kindle Fire HD only has cellular as an option in the larger model and with extra capacity.


    One the one hand I think cellular makes the more sense the smaller the product is. So on the mini it would make even more sense than on the standard iPad. Personally, I'm also looking forward to getting a cellular version of the mini.


    On the other hand, I do see that cellular even increases the pricing issue Apple may face with the mini. With comparable specs to the iPad 2, it should be $299 (Wifi-only). With cellular, the mini would be more expensive than the iPad 2 (of course without cellular), and that just doesn't look good.


    Then again, the iPod Touch is also $299 with a much smaller screen (albeit retina and likely with more RAM). Pricing the mini at $249 would probable relegate the Touch to the shelves.


     


    I wonder if Apple could reduce the cost of cellular to less than $120. Carmakers do this all the time, where optional equipment is cheaper with the lower-range models than with the high-end ones, even if the equipment is essentially the same. So maybe Apples does away with LTE for the mini, and instead reduce the extra charge to maybe $80.

  • Reply 39 of 41


    So. The iPad mini…


     


    Where's… where's the, uh… the invite? Today was supposed to be the invite, wasn't it? 



    Hmm.

  • Reply 40 of 41
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    So. The iPad mini…


     


    Where's… where's the, uh… the invite? Today was supposed to be the invite, wasn't it? 



    Hmm.



     Yeah dammit...I been waiting all day for my invite. I got money here. Shut up and take it Apple; I want one.

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