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All iPads Have we hit a point where we don't need to upgrade anymore?
- Thread starter floral
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Why not just get the air?
You can find the fourth generation refurbished for around $400, and for only $80 extra from the $329 iPad you get a laminated display, second Gen pencil support, stereo speakers, better microphones, a better LCD display…
As it is right now, I don’t think you’ll see second generation pencil support in a $329 iPad until late 2024 at the earliest when they’re forced to discontinue all lightning accessories.
And even then I wouldn’t put it past them to just… Introduce a pencil with a USB-C port at the end instead of lightning for low-end iPads.
This is the best way to do it honestly. I'm a sucker for a design change though--I can usually avoid upgrading all the way up until that happens. My FOMO is just too much to resist sometimes. lol
I'm a retired engineer - there's a significant toy element to it for me.
Because I really don't do anything demanding (pretty much just scribble notes and watch videos) with the iPad and the base iPad is enough for everything I do on the iPad. The extra $80 is money I don't have to and don't want to spend.
And that goes back to the OP's point, I'm not asking much out of my current iPad6 so much that I need to get something now, I can wait till Pencil 2 gets filtered down to the base iPad, or my iPad6 completely dies, whichever comes first.
Big nope. The iPad is still evolving. Here are some things it got recently:
Its own OS, distinct from iOS: 2019
Mouse support: 2020
Desktop class storage (as opposed to phone class storage): 2021 with the M1
Desktop class RAM (as opposed to 4GB or 6GB): 2021 with the M1
Memory swap: 2022
Support for third party drivers: 2022
Front facing camera in the right spot: just kidding, still doesn't have that
The iPad is great at doing what it already does now, but it seems like it's going to be doing a lot more in the near future.
I wouldn’t worry too much about older iPads dropped from the latest iPadOS. Apple seems to be adopting a sort of “LTS” releases on certain iOS versions. Today, even ios12 and ios15 are still getting security patches. You won’t get any new features, but you won’t be completely vulnerable either. This is good news as this means these older hardware which are still highly usable can still be used safely.
It will be interesting to see how long is Apple going to continue providing security updates to iOS12, the version that seems to start this “LTS” vibe, as it still gets security updates.
All those recent gains is why I thought it may be "totally futureproof" but now I see this is not the case.
Interesting examples. Smart appliances will almost certainly require more frequent updates than older, dumb versions.
So much of the new car market is about technologies — self steering, wireless CarPlay, wireless keys, etc.
I voted “it depends on the model” thinking of my iPad mini 6. This screen could be better. The battery could last muuuuuch longer. The camera bump could **** off. More RAM to allow better app backgrounding.
I see all of those as tangible tech advancements, any one of which might be enough for me to upgrade.
My iPad Pro 12.9”? I don’t have the same list of discrete updates (maybe the camera bump, but it mostly lives in a Magic Keyboard so that’s moot). Software enhancements would be cool but not as immediate an upgrade scenario.
I see all of those as tangible tech advancements, any one of which might be enough for me to upgrade.
My iPad Pro 12.9”? I don’t have the same list of discrete updates (maybe the camera bump, but it mostly lives in a Magic Keyboard so that’s moot). Software enhancements would be cool but not as immediate an upgrade scenario.
Whilst devices now last for a long time and you can go for 5/6 years without upgrading. There will be a few issues that you still eventually run into:
Hardware failure
No longer supported with software/security updates
Apps no longer supported
Hardware failure
No longer supported with software/security updates
Apps no longer supported
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I have a M1 13" XDR Display iPad Pro and I have no desire to upgrade it unless it dies or it no longer receives OS updates and can no longer stream videos because of a lack of updates.
Eventually it will die and Apple will no longer update the OS. At that point I will likely not have much choice.
We have reached a point where many uses people have for a tablet are performed perfectly and no added speed or features are likely going to change that. How much more technology wise can a tablet really get anyway? The cheaper base iPads or the Airs could eventually get the XDR displays which I think is totally worth it as an upgrade but beyond that there isn't a lot to be like holy crap we need this now. We already have a great pencil, can use great headphones, can pair great game controllers and can browse the web or consume content with zero hiccups.
It's all just incremental updates going forward. A situation where like I said above upgrading is done out of necessity. As in the model we have stops functioning.
While mobile gaming will keep getting better we will also not see it get to the point of depending on bleeding edge hardware just to function. Games that need that level of hardware will just not sell very well in the mobile space. Any mobile games produced need to function on the devices customers have in order to sell copies to those users. We are more likely to see the OS no longer receive updates on our devices before games just do not function. There are some cutting edge games like Diablo Immortal that push what mobile gaming can do of course but we are talking 1 out of 1,000's of mobile games. I don't think it was a huge success for the company either since it was limited to who could run it on tablets. If it wasn't for the PC version, the game would have been dead on arrival.
Eventually it will die and Apple will no longer update the OS. At that point I will likely not have much choice.
We have reached a point where many uses people have for a tablet are performed perfectly and no added speed or features are likely going to change that. How much more technology wise can a tablet really get anyway? The cheaper base iPads or the Airs could eventually get the XDR displays which I think is totally worth it as an upgrade but beyond that there isn't a lot to be like holy crap we need this now. We already have a great pencil, can use great headphones, can pair great game controllers and can browse the web or consume content with zero hiccups.
It's all just incremental updates going forward. A situation where like I said above upgrading is done out of necessity. As in the model we have stops functioning.
While mobile gaming will keep getting better we will also not see it get to the point of depending on bleeding edge hardware just to function. Games that need that level of hardware will just not sell very well in the mobile space. Any mobile games produced need to function on the devices customers have in order to sell copies to those users. We are more likely to see the OS no longer receive updates on our devices before games just do not function. There are some cutting edge games like Diablo Immortal that push what mobile gaming can do of course but we are talking 1 out of 1,000's of mobile games. I don't think it was a huge success for the company either since it was limited to who could run it on tablets. If it wasn't for the PC version, the game would have been dead on arrival.
But it has.
Apple has took the approach of attaching OS features to hardware... case in point, Stage Manager on an external display limited to M1 iPads. Now I do understand some users might not care for it, but people with this mindset "the iPad is held back by the OS."
Did these people not see what Apple did back in WWDC? Adding memory swap support, desktop class API. They tried to keep Stage Manager to M1 iPads and received criticism behind that lol. I find it nowadays its hard to please the iPad community... they won't be happy until macOS is on it.
Software bloat will ensure that M2/M1/A15-era iPads won’t feel quite as responsive in 10 years time, even bearing in mind their current use cases.
Beyond the SoC there will be feature progression in screen tech, wireless I/O, battery (as well as other unforeseen capabilities) which will drive the consumer to upgrade.
The iPads/iPhones (if they exist) of the future may well be driving sophisticated AR/VR experiences through wearable tech, that our current devices simply cannot manage. Current devices might well become the future equivalents of how we look back at old-timely iPods, Zunes and PalmOS devices.
Beyond the SoC there will be feature progression in screen tech, wireless I/O, battery (as well as other unforeseen capabilities) which will drive the consumer to upgrade.
The iPads/iPhones (if they exist) of the future may well be driving sophisticated AR/VR experiences through wearable tech, that our current devices simply cannot manage. Current devices might well become the future equivalents of how we look back at old-timely iPods, Zunes and PalmOS devices.
Base M1 iPad Air doesn’t support swap but can still do stage manager. Plus Apple has enabled stage manager for the A12X/Z iPad Pros now, meaning all of those excuses were just excuses.
Yeah, I'm aware of all that. I'm just referring to all the chatter regarding "iPad is held back by the OS."
I completely understand iPadOS is limited in comparison to macOS, but to take the stance that Apple is handicapping iPadOS when they have made strives to make it better last WWDC. So, when Apple address the chatter... it's of no significance to users. Its as if.. Every possible action (or inaction) would result in a negative outcome or cause them trouble.
Well, seems like those complaints are not from the same sides.
Some people here thinks they want macOS on iPad. I disagree with this. I think iPad requires its own OS, and as deficient iPadOS is, it's the better approach on an iPad vs slapping macOS on it. IMO these people wanting macOS on the iPad are simply people who made the mistake buying an iPad (because it looks newer/cooler) but in reality they need a macbook.
But software locking out features from older models without any actual hardware limitations, while making up stories as if there were hardware limitations, imo is dishonest. It's clearly a way for Apple to nudge people to upgrade, nothing more. Another example is action mode on iPhone 14. There's no reason that the 13 Pro Max, which have the exact same SoC and main camera hardware as the iPhone 14, couldn't do it. I don't like these kind of behaviors from Apple.
Back to the iPad, since the hardware is now powered by M series chip, it is highly expected that people are expecting more from the software. And without clear vision from Apple, people simply look at the corner and they think they want macOS. But seems like Apple themselves is de-emphasizing software. I mean back at the old Apple, we frequently see Apple demoed their software, especially iWork and their Pro apps. Now, they don't do that anymore, as if these software didn't exist or were just second thoughts. The quality of the OS themselves speak volumes. We are now at a time where the hardware actually is outpacing the software.
I upgrade my iPad every 5 years. Witha few exceptions, it has been a consumption device - mostly for reading in Internet. Unfortunately, the price for the device skyrocketed and I see less and less reason to buy a new iPad - a traditional computer is still better for everything else, I am not a graphic designer and have no use of the pencil. I am not paying the cosmic price of the presentcrop of Pros, and they say the Pros will become even more expensive because of OLED. It’s becoming a very niche product. I got this 13” Pro because it was the only iPad with USB-C. I am on the third yer with it, 2 more and then I’ll see if I’ll buy a new one at all / continue using this one / give up iPads altogether. The iPad does not resolve a single use case in my life, it’s just the opposite, I spend too much time in the internet 
Eventually we will, but it seems that at this point, upgrading ipads is on a replacement basis, and not because the next model has some sexy, must have feature.
Have both 2018 iPad and 6th gen mini. 2018 is such a solid device. Battery is still pretty good. Useful for pdf and studying licensing renewal materials I don’t often use it but I can’t see upgrading it unless it just stops working.
Honestly, I don't know that I agree. I also think that it strongly depends on the size of iPad, as the things one is inclined to do with an iPad will vary based on that first and foremost.
For the iPad mini, I'm inclined to believe that iPadOS does as good of a job as it needs to and that, while it will inevitably need a newer A-series SoC, the things that are best done on an iPad mini won't require the switch to M-series SoCs and the software features to iPadOS that Apple seems to be reserving for M-series SoC-equipped iPads, which are all larger iPads than the mini.
For the rest of the lineup, I think a lot of it depends on where Apple wants to go with iPadOS. iPadOS is constantly criticized, especially on higher-end iPads like the iPad Air and iPad Pros, for not being powerful enough. For having convoluted multi-tasking features that are always less convenient than that of a Mac (again, something that's fine on an iPhone, and totally tolerable on an iPad mini). Certainly, the M1 and M2 are way more powerful than iPadOS knows what to do with. It'll be a long while before any M1-based iPad Pro or iPad Air feels like it's not powerful enough to be THAT KIND of portable computer. Then again, a lot of that is that iPadOS is still closer to iOS in terms of how it operates and how it is used than macOS. If Apple overhauls iPadOS, if only on larger iPads, then that will likely entail more of that unused computing muscle being used, which will change the computing muscle needs.
That all said, back to your original point, we have not hit the limit on software innovation. There will always be new frameworks, new technologies that push things further and with all of that, new hardware needed to run it. I'm not saying a first generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro is crap. That thing is still a beast. But you can't compare it to what a fifth or sixth generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro can do and run. That kind of evolution isn't going to stop.
Considering the glaring limitations of the iPad’s software and interface I’m sticking with mine until there’s a dramatic upgrade in hardware and software
iPad Pro 12.9 3rd gen and 11 2nd gen
iPad Pro 12.9 3rd gen and 11 2nd gen
I am still rocking my iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) and it delivers in all areas that I am using an iPad for, which is mainly web browsing, YouTube, e-Mails, iWork, and FaceTime calls. Sure, the battery is slowly giving up on me and yes it is getting a little slow, so I plan to upgrade next year to whatever becomes available and is within my budget range. Ideally an iPad OLED but if that turns out to be too expensive then it'll be a LED-based iPad