My old Thinkpads and even my first iPad had SIM slots. I kinda miss that as it’d be much more handy now. LTE and the precursors were painful to use at the time.
My new(ish) IdeaPad had the SIM option, but it was like 160 euros, and using my phone costs 0 euros.
I was gifted a 4g router for my birthday or Christmas or something. It was the better solution for me because one plan gets me internet access on however many devices I attach to it where I would otherwise need a sim card for every tablet and laptop I use.
There are laptops that come with LTE chips… they’re just not popular. You’re right though, there is the increasing mentality of “always online” that some people just expect to have. I’m not one of them but I can see why the technical argument could be made. Broadband home routers are starting to show up with support for this already and so it’s only a matter of time. As another commenter said, it will drive up the price for artificially no reason…
There are loads of laptops with mobile data. For calling its the phone company stopping it
Because not all use cases call for it.
If you are working in a city with wifi everywhere you don’t need a LTE module.
If you are a mobile worker like a field tech thn it makes more sense to have an LTE module.
At the ISP I worked at we did that. Office monkeys has laptops with no LTE while us field engineers did have LTE modules.
You would need a massive pocket
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Voice calls via POTS isn’t a big thing via laptop. Most calls like this are now via apps. Hell, I despise using POTS any more, my phone SIM doesn’t even do voice, all calls are VOIP now via a service that interconnects with POTS.
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You can use a SIM dongle for laptops without a built-in modem. Though business class laptops have a cell modem as an option
There’s just little call for circuit-based voice calls any more. Those connections are more sensitive to network issues, and I’d bet most voice calls are some form of VOIP anyway. If you really need circuit-based calling, you can still do it over IP using a service like jmp.chat
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There are different cellular networks and frequencies in different places so computer manufacturers can’t pick one module and expect it to work everywhere. If you’re paying for service, you’ll want to get the most out of it by having a modem that’s up to date and maximally compatible with the network. So it makes sense to get a plugin device or a WiFi mobile hotspot from your carrier. A WiFi mobile hotspot can additionally be used with other devices.
Also mobile network hardware updates at a decent pace so it’s nice to be able to update those single purpose devices at their own pace independent of your laptop upgrade.
And then carrier and FCC certification are an extra hassle for laptop makers.
One thing about having a computer on a mobile connection that’s not as great as you might think: it’s easy for something like a software update to blow through a ton of data and cost a lot of money.
Localized parts are really a thing for electronics. (See keyboards)
I know Dell offers optional cell capabilities in some models. Just like the heated steering wheel in a car, this usually is an option you want to get at purchase. Expansion slots can offer the same capabilities.
Something like a removable “mobile chip” for a laptop could address this problem. Framework could probably pull it off, but I don’t know if the market incentives it.
I have a framework laptop. The Wi-Fi chip is its own module on an M.2 slot. LTE modules in this form factor already exist.
Framework already released the specification for the add-ons. So some other folk can also make it if they want.
Give me a scenario outside of where computers are already in use as telephones (like callcenters and such) where it would be beneficial to use the laptop instead of the phone.
[In the Apple ecosystem for example, when phone and laptop and any other device are connected to the same WiFi, all of them ring and you can take the call from any device, and make a call feom any device. ]
The point is you need wifi or a hotspot. It would be so much easier to take your laptop with you on journeys if they had 5G connection. (Not for the phone functionality but much rather for the data)
I had a Microsoft surface laptop with a SIM card that allowed me to make calls. I never used it. It was not practical. I tested it once, yes, but no.
Because you basically never have the case of having a laptop but no phone. And then you can tether via Bluetooth, WiFi and/or USB-C.
I think it’s designed for US mostly and data is too expensive in there, even with the phone they need to use WiFi or go bankrupt
You’ve never used a website that was awful on mobile but not on a desktop? 🙋♂️ I have, and do, daily, for work. It’s definitely better on an iPad but still not touch friendly and that presents certain challenges and workarounds. You still don’t get full functionality.
Because it doesn’t fit in my pocket.
If you choose to pack a portable monitor+kb+dock combo, you can use your phone as a computer instead with Dex or similar. Seems more practical to me in 2025.
I prefer the laptop-size screen and keyboard vs miniaturized versions of them
Nexdock
I plug my phone into a DEX dock under my desk that connects to a 22” monitor and a normal keyboard and mouse. I think the other person was offering that type of solution already exists.
I’ve got a little netbook from ages ago that takes a 3G SIM, I used it occasionally as phones didn’t really do tethering back then, no real need now I can tether.
Pretty sure Linux supports eSims and some older laptops support Sim cards, you can add one to your PC as well. Personally I just use secure ways of communicating but it would def be useful when your traveling.
Because most people don’t need it.
There’s a certain vocal tech crowd that is trying to get Apple to put a damn modem in their MacBook Pros, especially since they’ve created their own.
Yes you can hotspot but that’s just one more thing to have to do. There is zero reason not to offer it as an option at this point.
It is an option. Search for cell phone laptop modem and you will find hundreds of cards to install to give you cell phone service.
Literally every internet device has a modem. You just change it from one with a wifi antenna to one with a LTE(cellphone) antenna.
This question was born entirely out of ignorance of the devices existence, not an actual lack of the device existing. I had one in the freaking 90’s.
Does no one remember tablet pcs, which are just low end laptops without a keyboard, that come pretty standard with cell phone service, including iPads???
Laptops no longer have extension slots. You used to be able to buy cards for specific purposes and slot them in. Modern laptops have lost this, and most laptops are not self-serviceable, so any cellular modern you get today is going to be an external peripheral.
Where are you finding laptops with integrated cellular chips?
It’s almost like you’d swap out the WiFi card for a sim/WiFi card… Ffs tech literacy really has died, hasn’t it?
Ye, that’s crap, but seems mostly an Apple issue. If you need a PC with both, you buy a business class machine (which I do anyway, because consumer lines suck).
I have 3.
It just has to be chosen as an option at purchase time. Though usually consumer lines don’t have the option.
I know they exist. I was specifically pointing out that lack of feature in a major computing platform.
And I pointed to the iPads, that are keyboardless laptops, that come standard with one from the exact company you criticized. So I really question what you do know.
But that approach you lose wifi.
Though I have 3 laptops with both wifi and cell, 2 old Dells and a newer Lenovo.
I think the complaint here is Apple not even giving the option of both simultaneously.
That’s a fair point, but then I’m just sitting here going “Well don’t but an Apple, duh”. Like you don’t buy a minivan expecting to take it out on the racetrack, so why do so many people insist Apple be what it isn’t?
Apple is like the Nintendo of computers. Are their devices the fastest/top of the line? Not really - at least not at Apples price points. But do they offer a pretty seamless “it just works” performance? Yeah. You buy an Apple if you want that. If you want upgradable hardware or just more customization and features, you… Go elsewhere.
These options for cell and wifi connectivity exist, as you’ve also pointed out. But consumers are overall lazy(yeah, I’ll get yelled at for that, but it’s true - a quick search would have revealed tons of options) and demand solutions just be handed to them. You can’t help those who don’t want to actually learn.
