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Every child knows what an iPad is, but what is cellular? Some people have difficulties with these very terms like WiFi and Cellular. We explain what these are in this practical tip.
What is cellular? – mobile on the net with the iPad
Every iPad is WiFi-capable, of course. This means you can connect to the Internet with any iPad as long as you log on to a WLAN network. Cellular is an Apple-specific term for cellular connectivity on the 4G/LTE network.
- Simply put, Cellular in the context of the iPad means that you can be online on the go with a corresponding mobile phone contract and SIM card.
- The 4G mobile phone standard has now become the standard and is available in many parts of Germany.
- With a cellular-enabled iPad, you are always online, either on the 4G network or the 3G network, depending on availability and contract.
- You can recognize cellular iPads by the black cover on the top of the back. The antenna is hidden underneath.
Cellular iPads: different types of SIM cards
If you want to connect your Apple tablet to the internet on the go, you’ll need a different type of SIM card depending on the model.
- Micro SIM cards only fit iPads up to the fourth generation, roughly all models released up to 2012.
- Nano SIM cards are the standard for newer devices.
- Meanwhile, Apple is increasingly relying on the e-SIM, which is a non-physical SIM card. So far, all Pro models and the younger generations of the regular iPad, iPad-Air, are compatible with an e-SIM.
- In contrast to the iPads, you no longer have the option of inserting a SIM at all with the Apple Watch GPS + Cellular, here you even have to rely on e-SIM. It remains to be seen how long the manufacturer will continue to install SIM slots for iPads.
