iPad Owners to go Wi-Fi Only? AT&T CEO thinks So

When consumers rush out to purchase Apple's new handheld device, the slate-like computer called the iPad, they'll have several options to choose from. In addition to multiple storage capacities, iPad buyers will have to make an even more critical decision: Wi-Fi or 3G? Although Wi-Fi hotspots are in many places these days, from airports to coffee shops and sometimes even blanketing a city's downtown, anyone with an iPod Touch will tell you that they're far from being everywhere.

That problem certainly limits some of the functionality of the iPad apps, especially those relying on real-time updates for breaking news, data downloads or other Internet-only content. Considering that the contract-free iPad 3G plan starts at $15 per month, one would think that, given these potential issues, the 3G version would be the top choice among consumers.

However, AT&T's CEO thinks otherwise. He predicts the iPad will primarily be a Wi-Fi only device. Is he right?