Do I Need An IPad If I Have An IPhone? (Is It Necessary) 2024

Do you need an iPad if you have an iPhone? We polled 11,000 users from our audience and found that most people who have both devices are satisfied with the second tablet device in addition to their phone.

Let’s admit it, the small iPhone display is terribly exhausting for tasks such as watching movies and researching in-depth topics.

Not to mention draining your precious iPhone battery life on reading books and watching Netflix or Facebook videos just doesn’t make sense anymore.

If you have an iPhone, you’ll need an iPad when you need the power of a laptop and the mobility of an iPhone. You’ll be saving your phone’s battery while having a larger display for watching movies, note-taking, reading books, social media videos and web browsing.

Having both the iPad along with an iPhone is essential for those that are very active on their phone and tired of using a tiny screen and draining their battery.

Related: Does iPhone have an SD Card slot? (How to add one) – this gets interesting.

“Ipads give you the power of a laptop, while keeping the mobility of an iPhone”

Apple 11-inch iPad Pro

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I would bet your iPhone battery drains over night? see how to stop this from happening.

Many underestimate how truly useful an iPad is. It isn’t until they require a larger screen to deep dive an internet search, scroll through instagram and facebook, take notes, or to be used as a second monitor for their laptop that they realize this.

The iPad’s large display for those reading books or watching movies in any location isn’t the only useful feature. The drawing capabilities of the iPad and strong compatibility between the devices prove to be worth the value.

Table Of Contents

What can an iPad do that an iPhone can't
Which is better: iPad or laptop?
What is the difference between an iPhone and an iPad?
What is an iPad good for? (compared to iPhone)
Conclusion

What’s the point of having both an iPad and an iPhone?

Many retail and online marketplaces offer the idea of purchasing an iPad along with an iPhone purchase. There’s a very good reason for this.

Think about it… having both an iPad and an iPhone allows you to do tasks your phones display is too small to accomplish. It can run two apps side-by-side and give you the power of a laptop, but with substantially more flexibility and mobility.

An Ipad can be picked up at any given moment in a carefree manner and put down extremely quickly-much like your phone. Compare this to dragging an expensive laptop around that needs time to boot up and be carefully handled.

“The amount of time I’ve scrolled through video feeds on an iPad with friends is substantial… I couldn’t do that with an iPhone or laptop the way I can with an iPad.”

Let’s have a deeper look at the advantages of an iPad and find out if it’s beneficial or even necessary to have both an iPad and an iPhone.

Benefits of having both iPad and iPhone

The benefit of having both an iPad and iPhone is that you can run some very useful tasks you can’t do with just an iPad or an iPhone alone.

The two supplement each other no matter if your using the iPad Pro, iPad air, or iPad mini along with your iPhone. The iPad adds drawing capabilities, a larger display, and the option to use both devices for receiving and making calls… all while giving you a larger screen to do everything your small iphone display can’t.

“Ipads have the power of a laptop and the mobility of an iPhone”

An Ipad allows you to easily draw on a photo or screenshot using markup, edit photos and images with more detail. There’s also been times I wanted to show a friend or family something, but I’d need to cast it to a TV for them to really enjoy it (like a funny video) and just couldn’t with the phone.

Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch)

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Power of a laptop: The iPad enables you the power of a laptop and the portability of a phone.
Instant mobility: Can be picked it up and put down at the speed of a smartphone
Editing capability: Can draw on iPad to take notes and edit documents or photos in markup; something many iPhone owners struggle with.
Large display: Watch instagram, facebook, netflix, video surfing, note taking and book reading at a proper size on the iPad.
iPhone connectivity: Can sync messages, calls and notes to iPhone.
Battery life: Using two devices will help you save your iPhone’s battery, as you won’t have to use it for everything.
Second monitor: Can be used as a second monitor to extend your laptop or phone display.
Drawing capabilities: The apple pencil is a useful unique feature of the iPad that allows you to draw/write digital notes straight on your screen.
GPS- Use your iPad comfortably as a large GPS instead of squinting at the iPhone small display.
Airdrop files: You can easily transfer files between the two devices with AirDrop.
Wifi hotspot: You can automatically join your iPhone’s hotspot with an iPad or vice versa.
Messages and Calls: You can answer or make calls and send messages from your iPad as well.
Facetime and iMessage apps: Can also be used across both platforms at the same time.
iCloud syncing: You can sync almost any app and work from both devices at the same time.

Note: Drawing is a benefit here because iPhone has drawing apps, you can choose the Best Stylus for iPhone or simply use an Apple Pencil and iPad.

Personally, my iPad allows me several different skill-sets I just can’t live without now that I have them. Why hasn’t everybody adapted this? For internet access, you can use your iPhone as a hotspot or get an iPad data plan.

Do I need an iPad and an iPhone?

Now that we have explored the main advantages of having an iPad and an iPhone, it is time to answer if this combo is necessary, or is it beneficial only for certain categories of people?

Some people tend to believe that the latest iPhones can cope with almost everything an iPad does, and thus having both of them is a waste of money. As a result, they prefer an iPhone/ Macbook combo instead, utilizing a laptop for anything they can’t do with their phone.

So why do so many people find the iPhone/iPad combo surprisingly useful? Well, the iPad and iPhone combo is much more portable than a laptop and can be used in place of a laptop.

When was the last time you took your laptop in the car or in the waiting room of a doctors visit? I like to lay down and read books and social media videos on my iPad, not my iPhone.

Although this combo isn’t suitable for demanding software or high-end, modern games, having an iPad and an iPhone suffices for those who want a larger screen and saving a massive amount of phone battery.

If you don’t have the need to use this kind of demanding software, but need a second device apart from your iPhone, the iPad is cheaper than a laptop and can replace your computer. Also, your kids and pets will love it. There is a vast amount of entertaining iPad games for the whole family while your cats, for example, will certainly make you laugh when playing fish mimicking games.

What can an iPad do that an iPhone can’t

Apart from the things an iPad can do better than an iPhone, the iPad has certain useful features an iPhone doesn’t have. We have created a list of exclusive iPad features and tasks, that you can have access to if you decide to buy one.

iPadOS: IPads’ new Operating System is very different than iOS, as it includes ways to transform your iPad and use it as a computer at any time.
Keyboard and Mouse: The option to add a keyboard with a trackpad and a mouse is a very important, unique feature of modern iPads.
Multitasking: With the iPad’s bigger screen, Running two apps at the same time is a huge advantage, especially on the latest iPadOS, which made multitasking on an iPad fluid and easy.
Apple Pencil: Apple pencil is one of the best unique iPad features as it gives you the option to draw or write notes and then automatically convert handwriting into text.
USB-C port: IPad doesn’t need an adapter, allowing you to directly connect any USB device, like flash drivers, SSDs, etc.
LiDAR scanner: With LiDAR you have the option to scan the physical space around you and create 3D models or amazing augmented reality (AR) environments.

If while reading this list, you were thinking that some of those unique features are important or even priorities for you, then using an iPad alongside your iPhone is probably a great idea. Especially if you are planning on using your iPhone as a computer, don’t forget that the iPad’s specs are certainly more suitable.

Which is better: iPad or laptop?

The latest iPads have the power of a modern laptop and high portability at the same time. This is what makes them such powerful devices.

iPads can also be used as a drawing tablet-which can be highly useful for whiteboard and presentation tasks…And can even be used as a visual supplement to a zoom call for those hard to verbally communicate thoughts.

See our post: iPad vs Laptop Pros and Cons: Replacing a Laptop with iPad

The latest iPads are essentially an iPhone on steroids. Let’s not ignore that you can transform an iPad into a laptop by adding external keyboards with a trackpad and mouse. Ipads have the power of a laptop and the mobility of an iPhone.

So, what are the benefits of having both an iPhone and iPad? Let’s have a look at the advantages of having both an iPad and an iPhone.

Having a combo of both devices is a smart choice, as an iPad is better than the iPhone in certain tasks and proves to be a perfect secondary device.

Ipad’s can be picked up and put down much quicker than a laptop and can be used from locations a laptop feels uncomfortable in… such as a couch, car or waiting in the doctor’s office.

While some believe an iPhone can replace an iPad, it’s simply more complex than that. To learn more on this see our post on how to Use an iPad as Phone Replacement

As a suitable example, a friend of mine is a writer. He doesn’t even own a computer. He uses his iPad for his research, for reading books and creating his chapters’ basic layout, and his iPhone to write his book, as he prefers writing on touch-screen keyboards.

See: 7 Ways to Write and Draw on a Non Touch Screen Laptop

iPhone vs iPad: Should I Get an iPad if I Have an iPhone?

The two very similar functioning Apple devices are leaving iPhone users to ask “Should I Get an iPad if I Have an iPhone?”. It remains true that the latest iPads are more powerful than iPhones and thus can be used for more and different tasks.

The bigger screen size and the ability to watch movies on the couch or bed instantly is a big advantage.

On the other hand, we are using our mobile devices all the time nowadays and their ultimately compact size is the main reason why. This is the biggest iPhones’ advantage when compared to iPads.

However, compact size means a smaller screen and less powerful hardware. Here is how the iPad and iPhone compare against each other:

An iPad is a tablet device with a larger screen size, while iPhone is a smartphone with a smaller screen size. Smaller screen size means its more mobile, but less room to view the screen comfortably – so there’s a preference here to consider.
iPads run on iOS, the same operating system used on iPhones, but have more powerful processors and larger batteries.
The iPhone is less powerful… so if you’re running drawings apps or games, the iPad is certainly the better choice.
iPads also have the ability to connect to the internet through Wi-Fi or cellular data, while iPhones only have the latter option.
iPads are generally better suited for tasks that require a larger screen or more processing power, such as graphic design or video editing, while iPhones are more portable and suitable for making phone calls and sending texts.

Accordingly, it becomes obvious that both devices have different advantages and disadvantages and this is the main reason why, having both of them for different tasks, proves to be a great idea for many people.

What is the difference between an iPhone and an iPad?

If we could narrow down the differences between those two devices, we could do it by using only one word: size. It all comes down to size and our point of view. For example, one can say that using an iPad is better because of its big display that allows for comfortable browsing, watching movies, and reading books.

However, another person can answer that an iPhone’s compact nature allows him to use his device everywhere. These are usually the users who use the larger iPhone models. The existence of these two different opinions is proof that each one of the devices can do certain tasks better than the other.

What is an iPad good for? (compared to iPhone)

I wouldn’t call purchasing an iPad if you have an iPhone, an absolute necessity. However, given the analyzed differences between the two devices, and the unique features of an iPad, it could be characterized as a great supportive device that will prove to be useful for the tasks you can’t do (or for those harder to do) on your iPhone.

To give another example of the iPad’s superiority on certain tasks, my friend Tom is a CEO of a well known fintech company. He argues that the iPad is the easiest-to-use tablet device you can find and having one for his job’s computing needs, has proven to be a perfect choice. Mostly due to the ‘on-the-go’ nature of the tablet.

Some of the tasks he uses only his iPad for are: to keep notes with the Apple pencil during a presentation, to multitask between browsing and answering emails.

Those are only two examples when an iPad is more useful than an iPhone. ΙPads are the best Hybrid Devices, as you can use them as both laptops and mobile phones. This unique characteristic has created the question if an iPad can replace both your laptop and your iPhone.

See our post: Which is the Best Amazon Fire Tablet model? HD 8 vs 10

Can an iPad Pro replace an iPhone?

An iPad Pro sure hsa the potential to replace an iPhone as Apple continues to innovate. However, many experts tout that even the latest, most powerful iPad Pro can’t replace a mobile phone’s main feature: making and receiving calls/messages.

An iPad is known to not be used as a phone without dependency on an iPhone. This means that you can call or text only if you relay your calls through your other device.

See our full post on this topic: How to Use an iPad as Phone Replacement

However, iPad Pro supports applications like messenger and skype and features like Facetime and iMessage that have the potential to transform your iPad into an iPhone. Especially for those of you who call and text through the internet, having an iPad as your only mobile device can be a great option.

Conclusion

Whether or not you really need an iPad when you have an iPhone already depends on if you actively use your current phone to watch movies and watch YouTube videos or social media in a large group. The bigger screen size will help with these significantly compared to an iPhone and is worth getting as an additional device for this reason.

A functional use of getting an iPad along with an iPhone is the fact that the iPhone uses a lot of batter when your deeply researching something on the web or using social media for hours.

These unique characteristics of iPads are the main reason why they can’t be fully replaced by an iPhone, but you can use an iPad if you already have an iPhone and it does have a useful purpose.