Del is experimentally "throwing in the towel" re: NO smart phone EVER

My iPad is the cellular version, so it acts like a phone. I have to pay for another line, just like another cell phone. It is signed into my same apple account, so it can take phone calls like a phone. The bad news is that it costs money every month, but a phone is just too small for me to use comfortably most of the time.
Thanks. I thought maybe you had some trick up your sleeve I didn't know. This phone, if I keep it, will be essentially same thing. A 2nd line, not that much money. And no contract.