Following yesterday's announcement that T-Mobile would begin selling the iPad, the company today debuted introductory plans to offer customers 16 GB cellular versions of the Retina iPad mini and the iPad Air with no downpayment.

Like other T-Mobile "UnCarrier" offerings, the tablets will require a monthly hardware fee, which starts at $26.25 per month for the entry level 16 GB iPad Air and $22.08 for the 16 GB iPad mini with Retina Display. At 24 monthly payments of $26.25, the 16 GB cellular iPad Air ends up costing $630, which is ultimately the same price Apple and other carriers sell the iPad for.

Payments for the 32 and 64 GB versions of both iPads will increase with storage capacity, as will the downpayment. For the 32 GB Air and mini, customers will need to pay $99 up front, and $199 up front for the 64 GB versions. The first-generation iPad mini will also be available from T-Mobile, at zero downpayment and $17.91 per month.

tmobile

Downpayment comparison chart

T-Mobile plans to provide customers with an entry level data package of 200 MB at no cost, with additional data, up to 4.5 GB, available for an extra fee. T-Mobile also offers daily and weekly data passes for the iPad Air and the iPad minis, charging $5 for 500 MB of daily data or $10 for a week of unlimited data with 1 GB available at LTE speeds.

"When you buy a product as amazing as iPad, you should be able to connect when and where you want, simply and affordably," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. "By offering free data for life with incredible upfront pricing, T-Mobile is un-leashing customers to fully enjoy iPad as it was meant to be enjoyed - mobile and connected."

Apple's iPad Air will be available for purchase on November 1, while the iPad mini with Retina display will be available later in November.

Top Rated Comments

romeo0119 Avatar
160 months ago
So I can buy this, no interest and it comes out to the same price that I would be paying at Apple? Plus I get 200mb for free each month? That's awesome, might go down this route
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CrzyP Avatar
160 months ago
Isn't it too good? I mean I hope it is but how does TMob. makes money out of this deal? Device + free 200mb in 24 payments. And the cost is the same as you would buy from Apple store in 1 payment and no data included.

If Apple was doing the deal it would make more sense to me. I hope that's true with no catch and TMob still makes money..
I think it is a bridge for customers to sign up for phone services and tablet data plans. Kind of the same way the iPhone was a bridge to the Mac for a lot of users. It's just a way to expose more people to the T-Mobile brand as the iPhone exposed people to Apple.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CEmajr Avatar
160 months ago
The question is - is it unlocked?

They're all unlocked
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iAppl3Fan Avatar
160 months ago
T-Mobile CEO rocks!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4jasontv Avatar
160 months ago
T-Mobile needs to sell Mac Pro's.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justgeig Avatar
160 months ago
This in combination with the free 200MB/month for life is really impressive. I so desperately wish T-Mobile had service in the areas I live and work.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Apple Is Expected to Launch These Four MacBooks in 2026

Friday January 9, 2026 8:17 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. ...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

10 Reasons to Wait for This Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday January 8, 2026 2:56 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Confirms Google Gemini Will Power Next-Generation Siri This Year

Monday January 12, 2026 7:38 am PST by
In a statement shared with CNBC today, Apple confirmed that Google Gemini will power the next-generation version of Siri that is slated to launch later this year. "After careful evaluation, we determined that Google's technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we're excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users," the statement...
iOS 26

Here's What's New in iOS 26.3 So Far

Monday January 12, 2026 1:15 pm PST by
Apple today seeded the second beta of iOS 26.3, nearly a month after the first beta. So far, the update includes a couple of new features for iPhones. iOS 15.3 through iOS 18.3 were all released in late January over the years, so it is thereby likely that iOS 26.3 will be released towards the end of this month as well. The update is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. Below,...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Elon Musk Reacts to Apple and Google Teaming on Gemini-Powered Siri

Monday January 12, 2026 11:38 am PST by
Elon Musk today expressed concern about Apple and Google partnering on a more personalized version of Siri powered by Google's generative AI platform Gemini. "This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that [they] also have Android and Chrome," wrote Musk, in a post on X. Musk serves as CEO of xAI, the company behind Gemini competitor Grok. It is unlikely...
Apple Intelligence iPhone 16

Google Gemini Partnership With Apple Will Go Beyond Siri Revamp

Monday January 12, 2026 8:48 am PST by
Apple and Google today announced that Google Gemini will help power not only a more personalized version of Siri, but a range of future Apple Intelligence features. "Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology," the companies said, in a statement. "These...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Monday January 12, 2026 8:19 am PST by
iOS 26.3 will likely be released to the public later this month, but it appears that Apple is preparing to push out another software update in the interim. Apple's software engineers have started testing iOS 26.2.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The update will likely be released at some point this week or next week. ...
Apple Creator Studio

Apple Introduces New 'Creator Studio' Bundle of Apps for $129 Per Year

Tuesday January 13, 2026 6:11 am PST by
Apple today introduced a new Apple Creator Studio bundle that offers access to six creative apps, as well as exclusive AI features and content, as part of a single subscription. In the U.S., pricing is set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. Here are the six apps included with an Apple Creator Studio subscription:Final Cut Pro on the Mac and iPad Logic Pro on the Mac and iPad Pixelmator...