One can use ipad Air 2 Wi Fi only for internet anywhere simply by enabling personal hotspot. Then why go for Wi Fi Cellular model? Am I missing something?

I get the sense that we are all missing something in your question. Obviously you can connect to the Internet when you use a personal hotspot feature on another device or by using a computer that is connected to the Internet with an ethernet cable and using Interent Sharing on that computer.

Any WiFi only device can connect to the Internet as long as there is an accessible WiFi network to connect to... Personal hotspot, a computer, public WiFi..... So what are we missing here?

Assuming you have a device that can provide a Hotspot, correct. Some folks may not have a separate device to provide a hotspot connection.

You can use a wifi-only iPad wherever there is a wifi-network (if the network is protected then you will need its password to connect to it), or if you have a device (e.g. iPhone or mifi device) from which you can share an internet connection then you can connect the iPad to that to get online.

If you are away from wifi networks and don't have a device that can act as a mobile hotspot then the cellular model allows you to use a cellular network to get online. Cellular iPads also have a built-in GPS chip which the wifi-only models don't have, so can be used for navigation.

iPad has a much battery life for sharing personal hotspot comparing to iPhone.

iPad Cellular model has a built-in GPS. the GPS will work perfectly even you have no network at all (wifi or cellular) as long as your maps can be used offline.

and the most important thing!

you can use find my iPhone on iCloud to find your missing iPad with Cellular or do a remote wipe!

kidmoja wrote:

and the most important thing!

you can use find my iPhone on iCloud to find your missing iPad with Cellular or do a remote wipe!

You do not need an iPad (or any iOS device) to do that. You can do it from any computer by logging into www.icloud.com with your Apple ID creditials.

Demo wrote:

Any WiFi only device can connect to the Internet as long as there is an accessible WiFi network to connect to... Personal hotspot, a computer, public WiFi..... So what are we missing here?

My sense is the OP may believe that, by enabling the Personal Hotspot on a WiFi only iPad, they can connect to the internet without needing anything else. Not clear that they understand that they need to be in range of an open WiFi network for that to work.

Meg St._Clair wrote:

Demo wrote:

Any WiFi only device can connect to the Internet as long as there is an accessible WiFi network to connect to... Personal hotspot, a computer, public WiFi..... So what are we missing here?

My sense is the OP may believe that, by enabling the Personal Hotspot on a WiFi only iPad, they can connect to the internet without needing anything else. Not clear that they understand that they need to be in range of an open WiFi network for that to work.

But there is no Personal Hotspot on a WiFi only iPad. So the only way that an iPad can have the Personal Hotspot would be if the iPad was cellular which would make this whole point moot and add to my confusion even further. 😕

Ha ha! Good point! I've never owned a WiFi only iPad so I didn't even think of that. Perhaps the OP has a mobile phone with the feature? Hopefully, they will come back and clarify.

my point is the iPad WiFi only can't be found or wipe unless it's connected to a WiFi network.

but the iPad Cellular is always connected to the Internet. so better chance to find it soon after lost.