iPad vs. iPhone: what does 3G cost you?
By Chris Ziegler 
posted January 27th 2010 3:25PM
posted January 27th 2010 3:25PM
 iPad |
 iPhone |
| Upfront cost | $629 / $729 / $829 | $99 / $199 / $299 |
| WiFi-only version available | Yes ($499 / $599 / $699) | Yes (iPod touch - $199 / $299 / $399) |
| Voice calling capability | No | Yes |
| Contract required | No | Yes |
| Device unlocked | Yes | No |
| SIM standard | microSIM | SIM |
| Monthly cost for unlimited data | $29.99 |
$29.99 |
| Minimum cash outlay per month | $14.99 | $69.99 |
| Minimum data cost over two years | $359.76 | $720 |
| Maximum data cost over two years | $719.76 | $720 |
| Minimum cash outlay over two years | $988.76 | $1,778.76 |
| Maximum cash outlay over two years | $1,548.76 | $3,178.76 |
@Swagger
Oh yes, I'm "mad." My tablet PC runs Windows 7 -- a full-bore, best-selling Operating System, that's outsold EVERY version of an Apple OS from the first MacOS to OSX COMBINED -- full versions of Microsoft Office, iTunes (for music and movies), a fully-capable browser of my choice that can render Flash, the email application of my choice, Adobe Acrobat (heck, the full CS4 Suite) for reading publications, and has built-in Bluetooth (for connecting, say, a full-size (or even an Apple) physical keyboard, mouse, and stereo headphones) and Wi-Fi. Oh, and let's not forget, a real STYLUS for drawing and writing (with handwriting-to-text recognition) on the screen!
Oh, yes, I'm "mad" becuase the iPad is so crippled that it makes my Motion Computing tablet look pathetic by comparison.
Ha! Hahahahahahahahaha!
Apple fanboy, thy name is "Swagger."
Won't cost me anything because I'm not buying without multitasking, Flash or a camera.
@gadgetfann
Me neither. The device looks good, but as far as I'm concerned it's another Rev A product. Will wait until the first update.
@gadgetfann
I've never been voted into oblivion before so here goes:
HTC HD2 pwns the iPad. No multitask and no camera. And you can't put it to your head like a phone.
@gadgetfann I agree 10000000000%. What a waste of time.
so ipad is better than ipad, isnt this is apples to oranges comparision?
ipad a new class of product, very lacking and basic at this point, apple is capable of doing much better
i am sure we are seeing what we are seeing because steve wanted to keep the costs (r&d for apple and ownership for buyers) low?
i dont have any budget for ipad, sorry guys
@gadgetfann The OTA update of the OS in a month or so should take care of that, right?
@VampireHunterZ, really a legitimate claim. It is lacking in every area people wanted it to excel in.
On the plus side it got people talking about the Courier so hopefully we see something for MS (or HP) shortly.
@gadgetfann iPad: revolutionizing the tablet computer... By crippling it.
@gadgetfann
haha are you an accountant?
cause we are hiring!
This is the biggest BS math ever.... for the iPhone max they're including the cost of the max calling plan. Why don't we add the cost of just a crap phone with max calling plan since the iPad can't even make a call!!!
@gadgetfann Flash is lame and sucks down resources. I am sick of people building games and videos that are flash based. YouTube's new HTML5 videos run so much cooler.
I would like to see AT&T reduce the monthly data plan for the iPhone. Maybe just sell the phone full price and not tack on the extra subsidies on the cost of the monthly data. I think $15 for unlimited phone web is a good price point if you bring your own hardware.
@VampireHunterZ Yep I am more interested in the various iterations of the HTC HD2 that will be coming out this year... especially the Android one on Sprint. More flexible, and s not lacking basic stuff like the iPad is.
Jobs claims it is a miracle of a price at $499. Wait until a strip down comes on Engadget and its disclosed that this thing costs about $200 to manufacture.
@gadgetfann
WHOA... YUPIE YEAH... Giant iPod Touch... my soul cries in emotion.
Now seriously there is nothing innovative here... The BEST TABLET till now is the Lenovo U1 Hybrid. [END] It's innovative it's powerfull and actually usefull
@VampireHunterZ
Don't worry. The consensus is that the iPad is a piece of crap, so your post will be highest ranked in no time :D
@gadgetfann 1GHz processor without multitasking ?, hahahahahah, only apple can do that.
@gadgetfann me too. i'm waiting for the iPad 2 or iPad 4G (whichever comes first) and then will even only consider it. Just buy an iPod touch and it's the cheapest!
@gadgetfann Agreed. Seems like this thing is powerful enough for Skype. I wish they would get on this Flash situation, I really want to watch Hulu with this. It's kind of ridiculous that disregarding Flash can be considered acceptable at this point.
@gadgetfann
I think the iPad will do just fine considering it's target audience. What is it you so desperately want multitasking for?
It will easily outcompete the netbooks in it's price range, and it looks amazing, I can't believe that anybody with eyes in their head can actually complain about the looks of it. Sure it has a little much bezel maybe, but how else will you hold it without holding on the screen itself? less than an inch around the edge doesn't seem bad.
However will one be able to tether an iphone 3g connection to this thing?
@gadgetfann really tho apple really upsetted me i was looking forward into buying one of these now its not even worth buying when it doesn't even have flash idk this thing sucks :P
@gadgetfann Ditto!!! What am I supposed to do, carry my iPhone (which I love) to make calls and take photos and carry the iPad to read books and surf the web??? U got 2b kitten me
@Arkv2
Steve Jobs dropped the ball on this one. It makes a great eBook but not for that price.
@gadgetfann
When you see them put side by side like this is almost a good deal, I'm not saying the capabilities of the tablet are good but an unlimited anywhere web browser with no contract[!] at this price.......pretty sweet
@gadgetfann
I think engadget should also compare the cost of the iPad to the cost of the Kindle 2.
I really had much higher hopes for this device, but a Kindle 2 (or waiting til the K3 comes out) seems like a better choice for my needs.
@unwynd
It's not even a question of a budget: Apple again and again shows how they want to milk their customers from everything and keep them as close to everything "i" as possible...business wise - brilliant!
There could've been multitasking, camera and etc, but they will milk with on that with future product updates as they did with iPhone - adding bit by bit and calling it revolutionary as always...
So everything's fine, the only problem is that customers now have learned their business pattern and I'm afraid iPad might not be as successful as iPhone was...iPhone was something really new - iPad isn't...yet i have to give them credit for UI experience...
@gadgetfann
one good thing that comes from of this: all the rumors will FINALLY STOP!
...until iPad2 that is.
@gadgetfann
Since its running the iPhoneOS, just wait for the jailbreak. Multitask there you go. Camera would be nice, but I doubt it's a deal breaker. Have you ever seen yourself in video when the camera is below your face? And why on earth would you want to carry a tablet to take pictures? Beats me hehe.
For on the road instant use in a pinch, iPhone.
For causual on the sofa(toilet) reading, browsing, video or for business presentation, notetaking use, iPad.
For heavyduty computing, Macbook.
@Freakin Ijit Oh, you mean like the update that was released a month after the first iPhone that added copy and paste... or did that come like 3 years later?
@Rick James
I forgot to mention that I now feel that the State of the Union Address might actually be more exciting than this Apple event.
@gadgetfann
I completely agree about the multitasking, but why does this device need a camera? Does the Kindle need a camera?
@ShogunProphet No joke, since I seriously doubt their will ever be a voip app for it, it is no where near a fair comparison to include the price of any voice services. They might as well be comparing the iPad data costs to a home DSL connection. Yeah you got portability with the iPad, but the DSL is faster.
@afrovballpride
they want you watching videos from THEIR store. just like hulu on the ps3. they want you to pay for it not get it on the glorious interwebs for free
@gadgetfann
Nice Math Engadget.
iPad and iPhone has the exact same $29.99 data plan and the iPad beats the iPhone by 24 cents over two years and win all the green tags on your nice table.
@VampireHunterZ yeah, its pricey for the ebook readers out there, then you add the additional data plan, and its tough to swallow. If people buy this, I think they'll pick up the wifi version at $499.
@gadgetfann
+ reflecting screen which is so useful if you want to read with IBook ...
@gittenlucky A soon to be released tablet from other manufacturers using arm processors and either Linux or WinCe OS can easily run flash videos in the browser, not to mention multitask.
yeah flash sux, that's why Youtube is doing so badly, cause people hate posting and watching videos
@VampireHunterZ Would you put a full-size notebook to your head? It's not a phone.
@(Unverified)
Never expected Microsoft and Apple to BOTH fail ....
Still the rumors about the courier made me more excited ..
@VampireHunterZ I agree, but why would I want to put a device without phone capabilities up to my ear?
@Wesley
So I can pay $830 for a giant iPhone with no camera and no phone, or I can spend about the same for a laptop with decent performance, full OS, flash capability, 16:9 widescreen, multi-tasking, a 500GB + hard drive, a keyboard, and a changeable battery. I can pay a bit extra to get the 3G USB stick as well.
And seeing as how Wi-Fi is becoming to be more popular in many areas (I got a Wi-Fi signal from Cogeco in a parking-lot at Sobeys) I can just ditch the 3G and not have a monthly cost.
@MayorBloomberg
No, but this thing was supposed to be better than everything out there. Yet, is missing a $12 built-in webcam. Sorry, this is a huge ball-drop.
@rhezaganteng
Commenting on 1ghz speed is meaningless if you don't know how the chip works. Making no claim, but 1ghz on the A4 could be equivalent to 2ghz on the latest laptop Intel chip, we just don't know yet.
@VampireHunterZ
It makes a terrible eBook reader. It's got a glossy screen and a backlight.
@Rick James Are u serious? Is everyone here not see what this is? The iPad is a Kindle DX in color! The iPad can run in circles around the Kindle DX.
iPad vs. Kindle DX:
- Cost: iPad = $499 / Kindle DX = $489
- Color: iPad = Yes / Kindle DX = No
- Multitouch: iPad = Yes / Kindle DX = no
- eBook Reader: iPad = Yes / Kindle DX = no
- Screen size: Both have 9.7" screen
- Battery life = Both have excellent battery life
The iPad can do more than a Kindle.
Do I need to continue?
In essence, the iPad is a Kindle DX on steroids. So what if there is no multitouch, or camera, or flash. Apple is not making a replacement for the iPhone, or the MacBook Air(why would they?)
In regards to calls, just wait for the first jailbreak, since you will probably will be able to install skype and run it using either 3G or Wi-Fi to dial calls, after all the iPad has built-in speaker mike and speaker, bluetooth, and headphone jacks.
@Kbalz
Isn't multitasking more an OS feature than a chip feature?
@gadgetfann
Same. Extreme let down. First Microsoft's CES Keynote, now this. Hopefully Microsoft wows us next month at MWC.
@VampireHunterZ Why are you comparing it to a phone with a screen too small to work on documents with, or too small to comfortably read an ebook on? The start of the presentation was about fitting the market between an iPhone and a MacBook, which it seems to do pretty well. It's not supposed to be the next iPhone and will never compete, or have to compete with the HD2.
I can't figure out why I would want to multitask on this device apart from listening to music while working on a spreadsheet or reading the paper, either (which I assume it will be able to do as it runs a version of the iPhone OS), but I'm definitely willing to hear how people would benefit from multitasking on it. Fire away (without sarcasm if possible, I honestly don't know!)
I agree with the criticism on the lack of a camera, however - it would be great to skype/iChat on video with this device. Maybe next year, eh?
@Steve2000 And yet iWant! Amazon can keep that dumb b&w kindle.
@VampireHunterZ Maybe if you aren't supposed to put it up to your head, the iPad releases more radiation from its new processor, witch in long run, will kill you from hand-radiation-poisoning.
@prometheus1981