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Apple introduces iPad mini built for Apple Intelligence

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317 points diwank | 7 comments | 15 Oct 24 14:35 UTC | HN request time: 0.94s | source | bottom
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gcanyon ◴[16 Oct 24 00:32 UTC] No.41854510[source]▶
If it were possible to do so, I would possibly buy this as my new "phone":

   - I almost never hold my phone to my ear
   - I don't need the dual-lens features of the new iPhones
   - Standby battery life seems up to the challenge
   - Apple doesn't offer the iPhone Mini anymore, which is what I'm carrying now. If I'm going bigger, why not actually go BIGger.
Things holding me back:

   - Not actually sure about the battery life
   - As far as I know you can't transfer your actual phone line to a Mini
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ks2048 ◴[16 Oct 24 01:50 UTC] No.41854869[source]▶
Last last point makes me wonder: why have phone numbers at all?
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1. thrdbndndn ◴[16 Oct 24 03:51 UTC] No.41855434[source]▶
There are still lots of services requiring a phone number (at registering or using it for 2FA). No one likes it but that's the reality.

And no, virtual numbers like Google Voice are often (but not always) blocked.

replies(1): >>41855489 #
2. ks2048 ◴[16 Oct 24 04:02 UTC] No.41855489[source]▶
I can see why people want a phone number now. I was thinking more about why society doesn’t move away from phone numbers (for me, it’s been a hastle to be linked to a carrier and a country)
replies(2): >>41856473 #>>41870863 #
3. joha4270 ◴[16 Oct 24 07:25 UTC] No.41856473[source]▶
What better system can you think off? That allows calling the doctor, a restaurant, or that friend-of-a-friend who is selling a tractor? Without requiring people self-host a brunch of infrastructure (I like self-hosting stuff, most people wouldn't)

Also, inertia

replies(1): >>41856797 #
4. cujo ◴[16 Oct 24 08:21 UTC] No.41856797{3}[source]▶
i think the problem isn't the phone number, but the special hardware/vendor lock in that is required for it. if you travel a lot or live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, it quickly becomes obvious that being tethered to a regional provider for your phone number is a problem.

you end up paying ridiculous roaming fees to keep your number active in the other country, or you lose any ability for people to contact you by phone. it's incredibly frustrating when voip is so close, but not the 100% solution. couple that with providers still charging ridiculous fees to call numbers in other countries and it gets even worse.

replies(1): >>41856930 #
5. L3viathan ◴[16 Oct 24 08:43 UTC] No.41856930{4}[source]▶
> if you [] live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, [] providers still charging ridiculous fees

What places other than the EU does the "easy to cross borders as a part of life" apply to?

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6. cujo ◴[16 Oct 24 11:45 UTC] No.41857975{5}[source]▶
why does it matter? but to answer: literally near any bordering country.
7. B1FF_PSUVM ◴[17 Oct 24 15:58 UTC] No.41870863[source]▶
> I was thinking more about why

Good question - e.g. why isn't a phone number like an email address.

My guess is that it functions as an anchor - not to help motion, but to guarantee immobility. Like a physical address, the inconvenience of changing makes for fewer changes.

A low-pass filter, for system stability, if you want to look at it that way.