Do you regret not getting the 4G LTE iPad?

[Christopher Meinck]

As soon as I woke up this morning, I started to regret my iPad purchase. Not purchasing the new iPad, but not getting the 4G LTE model. It's not like I used my 3G on my iPad at all, but there is something about these launch days that going anything but full boat leaves me second guessing myself. In all reality, I'm sure I'll do just fine with WiFi only model. I haven't sold my 3G model, so I could use that in a crunch.

All the 4G LTE owners on Twitter didn't make it any better.

Did you get WiFi only? Having 4G LTE envy?

 

[Chancellor]

I thought about it briefly but I also use a free hotspot app so I couldn't justify it ;-).

 

[JFN]

Wifi-4g, won't use the 4g much but when I need it I'll have it.

 

[Tinman]

Don't regret it at all. Most of the time my iPad is used at home. When it is traveling I use MyWi for the few times I needed it (which turns out to be rarely).

My last iPad I kind of regretted not getting the 3G version but that was solely due to the GPS it also contains. Now I realize I will not be using an iPad in the car for navigation so even that doesn't bother me.



Michael

 

[Europa]

I don't regret getting the WiFi version at all. I don't want to pay for two data plans. I'll just tether my iPhone to my iPad.

 

[Adriano73]

I don't regret getting the WiFi version at all. I don't want to pay for two data plans. I'll just tether my iPhone to my iPad.

yep, that's the way to do it!

 

[Josh Yates]

I go back and forth. However, I'm so rarely away from wifi, I just can't justify the extra cost. Couple that with the fact that, in a pinch, I can use MyWi on my JB 4S...I'm good to go. The GPS chip is enticing, but not $130 enticing.

 

[psylichon]

You get GPS through tethering anyway. I regret nothing. I live in wifi.

 

[Rugaby]

I regret nothing. I live in wifi.

Amen!

 

[Tinman]

You get GPS through tethering anyway. I regret nothing. I live in wifi.

You don't get GPS through tethering. If you mean that video that someone released last year concluding the iPhone 4 was sending GPS info to the iPad, it was 100% wrong. Right off the bat they concluded that since they were not connected to any wifi network it MUST have been GPS. That is false as the iPad uses any wifi networks it can "see," even if you don't join them or even if they are secured. The MAC ID is transmitted openly by all wifi networks and that is all that is required for the database lookup. And by "see" I mean any signal strength at all: so your iPad can be getting location help from wifi networks too weak for you to even see under wifi settings.

I did the same experiment last year with iPad 2 and wifi location services worked so amazing it was easy to think it was getting GPS from the iPhone. That was tethering via bluetooth for a better test. With Wifi left on, but not connected to any wifi networks, I was able to literally drive and my location was updated on the map--just like in that video. However, once wifi was shut off on the iPad it was then unable to locate itself at all.

That said I think I did see a Cydia app that allowed the iPhone to act as a Bluetooth GPS device. I meant to check it out but never did.




Michael

 

[Michael Baturin]

In my case, I came from the iPad 2 Wifi Only. I had the AT&T Tethering plan with my iPhone 4S though which was $45/m for 4GB of data + Tethering. With the new iPad, i decided to get the 4G LTE AT&T Version and so i dropped the iPhone plan down to 3GB for $30/m. Im starting with 250MB pe r month for $15. So all in all the dollar value stays the same, but i lose 750MB of data. All that being said, here is what I am REALLY upset about.

After taking a deeper dive into my speeds, I realized my new iPad will only show 4G, not LTE when not connected to WIFI around my area (I've taken it around town). After some research, I realized AT&T distinguishes 4G and 4G LTE as two separate things. This means, even though their map shows my entire area in 4G (what I justifiably interpreted at first as LTE), my iPad on AT&T network will only ever get their "4G" speeds. In my case, this is about 3MB down, and 2MB Up. Not the 5-25MBps Down promised by LTE, and no where near the 1GBps standard 4G was supposed to be.... My speed tests below on Wifi vs AT&T "4G" Needless to say, i may be exersising buyers remorse and grabbing a Verizon Model..

 

[Michael Baturin]

Called Apple store. They were surprised what I told them but they confirmed it to be true. I'm on my way there now to exchange my AT&T 4G model for Verizon 4G model. Buyers remorse lets you do this within two weeks without any kind of penalty so I'll just spend the day Resyncing the iPad

 

[ZR_Yancy]

It's a good thing I have my Skyrocket on my other line for some LTE love when I tether. Too bad I'm still waiting for LTE to be available in my area which should be sometime this year.

 

[Chancellor]

I'm not a big rEd fanboy (infact I regret owning my droid lol), but ya I can't see how anyone would ever get the AT&T 4g iPad over Verizon you're making the right decision mate!

 

[Michael Baturin]

FYI I have the Verizon model now and my speeds are much better. Of course that's because I am on a real LTE network now and not a falsely marketed "4G" network. I had 15mb down a few min ago.

Sent from my iPad 2 using iCafe app

 

[Chancellor]

Ya I don't know how AT&T and tmobile can say they have 4g networks lol, I know "officially" no one has 4g, however AT&T seems to be the largest deceiver. That's saying a lot considering tmobile may be one of the shadiest advertisers I've ever seen in my life.

 

[raqball]

No regret at all! My iPad 2 was the 3G version and I used 3G twice in 10 months.. For me, it was a waste of the extra $130 plus tax i paid for it..

WiFi only this time and can spend that $130 elsewhere..

 

[billnye97]

Rather then spending the extra $130 for the 4G which I would never use I use that extra money to move up and get a larger capacity Wifi only model.

 

[JWiPhone]

I have yet to buy my first iPad. I'm in no hurry. I may even wait another two years. All this hoopla over 4G LTE is way overblown. Give it a few more years until 'true' 4G speeds are in place and cover a wider area.

Btw..I do think the new iPads are awesome, but it is just a luxury unlike the iPhone for me.

 

[jarofclay73]

I'm getting the AT&T LTE model because I have the unlimited plan with AT&T. Although my area doesn't have LTE, it will eventually and by what some are saying it should faster than Verizon LTE.