Phone app for iPads?

[necigrad]

I typically don't follow these threads, so maybe this has been vocalized before.

I was in class one day and someone pulled out his huge Droid. I realized it was almost like holding an iPad Mini to his head, and that got me to thinking. The iPad has a cellular connection as an option. It has Bluetooth. It has everything it needs to function as a phone. Why has Apple not put the Phone app on iPads? Why has no developer done this, or have they and I've just never noticed it? Am I just more then slightly crazy?

 

[Just_Me_D]

I can only assume that Apple wants to keep the iPhone a smart "phone" and the iPad a "tablet". Besides, I haven't read or heard if people demanding a so-called phablet from Apple, but I could be mistaken.

 

[Laelipoo]

Well it does have facetime, which is close, but if you really do want the phone app, you could always submit feedback to Apple.

 

[Alli]

You would need to add in the cellular radio to make it work like a phone and the iPad does not have that. It's not just a question of adding in an app.

 

[mulasien]

Put on a voice over IP app like Skype, and there's your phone (kinda).

I believe that facetime will have an audio-only option in iOS7, so there's your integrated phone!

 

[necigrad]

You would need to add in the cellular radio to make it work like a phone and the iPad does not have that. It's not just a question of adding in an app.

My whole premise was based on the iPad (well some of them) having a cellular radio for data. Is this not correct? Are they different pieces of hardware? My whole logic was that the hardware was there.

 

[madeinhb]

Google voice would probably work. There is an app that works over wifi. It's called talkatone. I used it in Europe when connected to wifi. Works great.

 

[todd riddle]

You can use any of the calling apps available for ipad. Just install the apps and you are on the go...
Some of the best calling apps for ipad are

• Rebtel
• icall
• viber
• fring
• talkatone
• skype

 

[Alli]

My whole premise was based on the iPad (well some of them) having a cellular radio for data. Is this not correct? Are they different pieces of hardware? My whole logic was that the hardware was there.

​It is a different piece of hardware that is absent in all iPads. It's like assuming if you added a second dial to your FM tuner you could listen to AM stations - they are different radios.

 

[necigrad]

Ah, oh well. Thanks all.