Current first/second gen 12.9 users: Why did you sit this year out?

[Jacoblee23]

I own a 512 gb second gen LTE. I still owe $500 on my device payment through Verizon. I played around with the new 12.9 Best Buy tonight and was amazed at how much lighter it is. I received an offer for $700 on my current second gen, but I still don’t know of its worth selling and then waiting weeks to get a third gen and having an even higher device payment. I also played with the new Smart Keyboard and I prefer my current one for the first second gen 12.9. I am still on the fence on what I am going to do. I may just pay office my device payment and skip this year. No complaints about my second gen except I wish it was lighter.

 

[millydog]

I’ve decided to sit out this year for upgrading my iPad Pro. I have the 12.9” 2nd gen and the 10.5”. I upgraded my iPhone from X to XS MAX a short time ago and I do want to upgrade my 12.9” 2nd gen to 12.9” 3rd gen and I have the cash to do so. But I’d need all new accessories as well and basically it comes down to cost vs benefits to me. The 3rd gen would be ideal for me to replace both of my iPads with it due to the size being in between the two that I have, but I think that even if I sold both iPads Pro and all of my accessories, I would still need to contribute up to an extra 1k for the maxed out model and all of the accessories. I’m in Australia, and the prices are high.....$3,641 for iPad Pro 12.9”, Apple Care, Apple Pencil, Keyboard Cover, USB-C headphone converter, extra USB-C sync cable for my Mac and a glass screen protector. I wouldn’t even get that much for selling both of my current models, both cellular with 512GB, Apple keyboard cases, leather covers, leather sleeves and one Apple Pencil, so I figure that I am better off sitting out this year and making good of the fact that I have 2 iPad Pro of different sizes to use which ever one suits the occasion. Even though I have enough cash and iPads are my favourite things, the pricing has now reached a point where I’ve decided to upgrade either my iPhone or my iPad in any one year and no longer both. I think that I will be satisfied to keep my XS Max 512 for a few years, so I think the next few years will be iPad upgrades.

 

[fm_carv]

There’s already scores of other validation posts. Do we need another one?

 

[AlexJoda]

Checked the new 12.9 out in the store yesterday and am pretty sure now that I stay with my gen 2 12.9. The new one is not lighter or thinner with the Smart Folio, only smaller on the horizontal dimension. A 12.9" device is a huge thing anyway so the size is not that important to me like it is for the iPhone.

From the functional aspect there is no relevant change in my eyes. The processing power makes no difference to me compared to the already quick A10X for the existing IOS apps. The USB-C port is also very much limited with IOS so that this also makes to real difference to the USB3 Lightning port of the gen 2. The biggest improvements come with the gen 1 and 2 like 4 GB RAM, Wide Gammut display, TrueTone and especially Pro Motion (loving it!), lower latency pencil and the 512 GB storage version. Non of these kind of functional improvements are coming with the gen 3.....(apart from the ridiculously priced 1 TB version with 6 GB RAM). Instead they are taking away important features like the headphone jack or the OIS from the camera and lifting the price to unknown territory.

 

[ericwn]

As long as the software doesn’t improve I gain no improvement my workflow over my older Pro. Apart from more convenience unlocking a lighter device and easier pencil charging the day to day operation in iOS remains the same. Which is not enough incentive to get rid of a perfectly fine iPad.

 

[AlexJoda]

As long as the software doesn’t improve I gain no improvement my workflow over my older Pro. Apart from more convenience unlocking a lighter device and easier pencil charging the day to day operation in iOS remains the same. Which is not enough incentive to get rid of a perfectly fine iPad.

And even the unlocking might be not so convincing. Tried it yesterday in store with may standard habit of laying the device flat on the table or in bed in front of me and FaceID did not work! TouchID always did in that situation....

 

[sracer]

I own a 512 gb second gen LTE. I still owe $500 on my device payment through Verizon. I played around with the new 12.9 Best Buy tonight and was amazed at how much lighter it is. I received an offer for $700 on my current second gen, but I still don’t know of its worth selling and then waiting weeks to get a third gen and having an even higher device payment. I also played with the new Smart Keyboard and I prefer my current one for the first second gen 12.9. I am still on the fence on what I am going to do. I may just pay office my device payment and skip this year. No complaints about my second gen except I wish it was lighter.

Here are my reasons (in no particular order):

1. MSRP only (too early for sales on the new 12.9 Pro, Any sale $150 or more off would get my attention)
2. Increased camera bump. I don't use my iPads in full cases, only smart covers. Without the Folio case, this thing will not sit flat on a desk.
3. No smart cover nor smart keyboard are available.
4. Overall weight and thickness of the 3rd gen 12.9 Pro + Folio keyboard is thicker and heavier than previous gen 12.9 Pro + ASK.
5. No headphone jack (I don't want to use dongles or docks)
6. USB-C for no added capabilities that I need (I don't need 4K output to a secondary screen)
7. No compatibility between older Pencil and ASK... must re-purchase them for new Pro at higher costs for each.
8. Face ID. I don't like it, don't want it.
   
   
9. (iOS-specific) No support for mice/trackpads
10. (iOS-specific) No universally accessible file system
11. (iOS-specific) very, very limited support for USB accessories
12. (iOS-specific) Poor use of the larger screen

These are MY reasons. There will those who reply to my post "explaining" how these are not big deals or alternative workarounds. I know about these. And some will say, "well the headphone jack isn't coming back" or "Face ID isn't going away" and to that I say, if by the time I need to replace my current device nothing has changed with regard to my needs and what Apple offers, then my current Apple device is my last Apple device. Pretty simple.

The iOS-specific reasons are general to all iOS devices, not just the 3rd gen Pros, but I include them because they DO factor in to whether or not I want/need to upgrade what I currently have. Had these 3rd gen Pros provided those features, I'd have a very difficult decision to make.

 

[Donnation]

I’m actually going to return my 3rd gen and go back to the 2nd gen 12.9 Pro. I’m not a fan of the new folio case or the size and weight of it when attached to the iPad. It’s pretty to look at, but after using it for a couple of days I see no noticeable difference in this vs. the 2nd generation in regular every day tasks.

The Pencil is also disppointing to me as I was hoping there would be some improvements in how it functioned, but sadly there is not. Yes, “tap to erase” is cool and all, but functionally its the exact same as the previous version.

Overall I’m a little disappointed. Outside of the slight difference in size I just see absolutely no reason to move to this iPad from both the 1st or 2nd gen iPad Pro. If you were coming from an Air or Air 2 then it would definitely make sense. Outside of that, I don’t think its worth it.