Hey, Apple Here's why I am not buying more iPads

  TL;DR: 

  Data Plans and Carrier Tethering.

  Data Plans: Too expensive and unfair.  Should be like DSL.
  
  Carrier Tethering: I want to buy an iPad, not a life-long hardware dependency to a carrier.

Here's the long version:

We have one iPad 2, two iPhone 4's, two iPhone 3GS's and three iPod Touch's (and a bunch of Mac stuff). I'd like to buy iPads for the kids. Three of them. Ain't doing it. Why?

Data plans are really unfair. Why should I pay for separate data plans? Why can't I buy a family plan of some sort that is based on bandwidth used or some other metric. First of all, most of our devices are operating out of WiFi most of the time. Which means that the carrier is charging me not to consume bandwidth. And, in fact, I am already paying the same carrier (AT&T) for my DSL connectivity! Double charging for the same bytes shuffling about?

If my family had four iPads we'd have to spend a minimum of $100 per month on connectivity. Again, most of the time we are all on WiFi. But, at times, we are not. And, in general terms, only one or two devices would be away from WiFi at any given time. Yet, we have to pay to not consumer carrier bandwidth.

You could easily find yourself spending hundreds of dollars a month only because you have multiple devices. If DSL where priced this way most homes would have to pay several times more what they pay today as it isn't uncommon to find multiple devices using the connection at all times.

You'd probably sell more devices if data plans were closer to the way DSL is priced: Charge me a fixed amount per month for a given SLA, no matter how many devices my family owns.

Secondly, there's the issue of carrier tethering. Stop it! Please! I want to buy an iPad or iPhone. That's what I am buying. I couldn't care less who the carrier is as long as the service level is good. And, I should be able to instantly switch to another carrier if the one I am with stops servicing me well. I should not have to spend hundreds of dollars to buy the same device with a different RF section so that I can switch carriers.

Anyhow, as I said, I am not buying more devices because of at least these reasons. I would imagine there are lots of other folks who are on the same boat.

I agree. I wonder what kind of telecom market entrance Apple could make with $100 Billion?

I know how you feel, it seems like a big waste. Why wouldn't you just buy them and not get data plans? It's not like you're forced to get ipads with the data plan. Especially if they'll be on wifi most of the time. And if it's for you kids, lets be honest, most of their time will be spent playing games, which a data plan is not necessary for once, they've got the app.

As far as different carriers using different technology, haha, good luck with that. The difference between Verizon or AT&T's cellular technology goes a little bit beyond "a different RF section" But the whole point of LTE is that eventually everybody will be on that standard, then you really shouldn't have to worry much.

Why do you need an iPad with data? Not good enough just to have wifi?

Definitely a first world problem. Is wifi connection not enough? Are you just reading/surfing or are you developing complex apps that you need a lot of bandwidth?

That's why I don't have an iPad. My only 1 Mac keeps me busy enough. Or have we run out of more fun things to do?