According to AppleInsider, iOS 9.2.1 rivals iOS 8.4.1 on A5 Devices

[stulaw11]

Exactly, however, 9.2.1 beta 2 showed the same speed difference over both 9.3 beta 1 and 9.2, I think there is some optimization introduced in 9.2.1 that isn't in 9.3 yet. Or 9.3 has more debug code.

Right now it seems like 9.2.1 = more speed and 9.3 = more smoothness.

Of course. I can point out some Beta 1s that were TERRIBLE and should've ever been released as they were. I think 9.0 beta 1 was that way from memory.

Lot of extra code/junk is a beta 1

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

Who remembers iOS 8 freezing on app launch where the app would stay grey for a few seconds before opening?

 

[Max(IT)]

Every single iOS 9 thread become an one man show

In my experience iOS 9.2.1 is just fine even on aging devices like an iPad Air

 

[bufffilm]

my advice is to backup the device via itunes, wipe, and install latest ios9.x. and after loading ios9, use the ipad without restoring anything other than your core apps if possible.

that is what I would do if I were in your shoes. i will probably be doing the same the next time my sister brings her ipad3 over (running ios 8.41).

it won't restore your ipad to ios6 or ios7 speed, but it will be better than it is now.

I am completely aware of this. I have an iPad 2, and iPhone 4S, a 2011 iMac and a 2011 Mac Mini. Everything but the iPad 2 works wonderfully.

And they don't. Most of the new features are not available for older models.

I don't expect an iPad Air 2 experience by far, but I do expect the machine to be useable - *Especially* considering Apples public promise of making iOS9 a maintenance and speed release! In fact, it has been quite the opposite, so in fact, Apple lied and made a mess of my product. If there was a possibility to downgrade, I would consider this a non-issue, but alas, that is not possible. And since the majority of new features aren't even available on that model, you have to ask what is slowing it down.

As it is now, it is extremely slow, unresponsive for extended periods of time, apps are crashing left and right, apps can complete lock the user interface, etc. And for what? Apple's PR department can show of a graph that says "So and so many are using iOS9! Fastest update in history!". I feel scammed, and happy that I didn't update my iPhone 4S, which is chugging along happily on iOS7.1.2 - With practically the same set of features, compared to iOS9.


I've also come to that conclusion, as it isn't worth using now.

 

[Vexxx]

But there are no frame drops on my device.

It has been pointed by some that it is important to tell here when all do not have some particular behaviour.

Again, it is as important to point out here that same phone can be experienced differently by two people. So "not experiencing" is not the same as "not having".

Some have said to have stutter/frame drop free iPhone. But when I try it, there they are. Now I just say that "yes, lucky you", but do not tell that I mean that they are just lucky to not to see them.

 

[I7guy]

It has been pointed by some that it is important to tell here when all do not have some particular behaviour.

Again, it is as important to point out here that same phone can be experienced differently by two people. So "not experiencing" is not the same as "not having".

Some have said to have stutter/frame drop free iPhone. But when I try it, there they are. Now I just say that "yes, lucky you", but do not tell that I mean that they are just lucky to not to see them.

Yes, it's been pointed out that some "are blind" to them. Don't think this needs to be delved into any deeper.

 

[bufffilm]

On a good day, 7.1.2, the iPad 2 couldn't handle more than 2 tabs and just forget about iOS 8, which was a disaster on that device. But there are no frame drops on my device.

even better is to drop Safari and use the Puffin browser.

I was never able to use more than 4-5 tabs on Safari without it constantly reloading and eventually crashing. don't have that problem with Puffin. i tried Chrome, as well as Atomic (which was my preferred browser on iOS6) but they fared little better than Safari.

with Puffin, my ipad2 on ios7.x comes closer to the speed of the ipad2 on ios6.

 

[I7guy]

even better is to drop Safari and use the Puffin browser.

I was never able to use more than 4-5 tabs on Safari without it constantly reloading and eventually crashing. don't have that problem with Puffin. i tried Chrome, as well as Atomic (which was my preferred browser on iOS6) but they fared little better than Safari.

With chrome I get my sign-ins. Thanks for the tip about Puffin, will look it up in the App Store.

 

[oldmacs]

Right, there's only published benchmarks that show iOS 9 is faster than iOS 8.

There are no benchmarks other than safari benchmarks which show slight increases in page rendering (not taking anything else into consideration).

There are a lot of videos that demonstrate slower iOS 9 performance in terms of animation rendering, app opening times and generalised app responsiveness.
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Who remembers iOS 8 freezing on app launch where the app would stay grey for a few seconds before opening?

Yes and it was very annoying, even more annoying that it happens often in iOS 9. Up until iOS 9.2 it happened regularly on my iPad Mini 2 (which still runs like a crappy low end tablet with iOS 9.2.1). The iPad Air 2's that I've used at my local app store do it on a number of apps, especially Pages.

Possibly a bad install, but honestly, there should be no lag on the Air 2. Its easy to induce lag and jitter on both the Air 2 and iPad Pro in the multitasking menu.

 

[997440]

With chrome I get my sign-ins. Thanks for the tip about Puffin, will look it up in the App Store.

Another browser to check out is iCab Mobile. A bunch of features and the developer actively, carefully updates it.

 

[Radon87000]

even better is to drop Safari and use the Puffin browser.

I was never able to use more than 4-5 tabs on Safari without it constantly reloading and eventually crashing. don't have that problem with Puffin. i tried Chrome, as well as Atomic (which was my preferred browser on iOS6) but they fared little better than Safari.

with Puffin, my ipad2 on ios7.x comes closer to the speed of the ipad2 on ios6.

Thanks for the suggestion.The browser seems to handle tabs better than Chrome and Safari on my iPad Mini 1.I am sticking with it for now.

 

[oldmacs]

Thanks for the suggestion.The browser seems to handle tabs better than Chrome and Safari on my iPad Mini 1.I am sticking with it for now.

I might have a look at it. iOS 9 safari is so useless on my iPad 2 that it can barely keep one tab open without reloading.

 

[bufffilm]

I might have a look at it. iOS 9 safari is so useless on my iPad 2 that it can barely keep one tab open without reloading.

Believe me, Puffin is way better than Safari.

After using the free version and seeing it perform well...it was a no-brainer to get the paid version - I believe in supporting good software and rewarding them when it's deserved!

And if your iPad is jb'd, install browser changer to set the default browser to what works for you.

 

[I7guy]

I might have a look at it. iOS 9 safari is so useless on my iPad 2 that it can barely keep one tab open without reloading.

For me iOS 8 was that. Could not browse macrumors at all.

 

[JM]

I never experienced 8.x.x on my iPad 2, but 9.2.1, which is no different from 9.2 at all here, is slow as hell with apps crasing left and right, and random unresponsiveness that can go on for10+ seconds. 7.1.2 was not perfect but it was definitely useable. 9.2(.1) is so slow that I am thinking of buying a new iPad, because it is so painfull to use.

I so much regret updating.

Apple gotcha!