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gwhizkids

macrumors G5
Jun 21, 2013
13,307
21,484
My guess (and that's all it is, of course) is that it might make it to iOS 10 (or X), but probably not to 11. Its already struggling with iOS 9 (and struggled famously on iOS 8 until, I believe, 8.2). Perhaps Apple will come up with a way to "OS thin" iOS to keep it running, but, while I don't believe they intentionally obsolete old models, they also don't have any incentive to go out of their way to keep it running. Call it passive vs active "obsoleting".
 
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RebornProphet

Suspended
Nov 3, 2013
989
494
My guess (and that's all it is, of course) is that it might make it to iOS 10 (or X), but probably not to 11. Its already struggling with iOS 9 (and struggled famously on iOS 8 until, I believe, 8.2). Perhaps Apple will come up with a way to "OS thin" iOS to keep it running, but, while I don't believe they intentionally obsolete old models, they also don't have any incentive to go out of their way to keep it running. Call it passive vs active "obsoleting".

What are you talking about? The iPad Air 2 didn't "struggle" with iOS 8 (the OS it shipped with) and it sure as hell doesn't "struggle" with iOS 9.2.

The original iPad Air was great on iOS 7, but iOS 8 took its toll in areas (Spotlight, Siri, areas with blur), and iOS 9 continues that trend. The iPad Air 2 will run iOS 10 and beyond. That tri-core CPU, octa-core GPU, and 2GB of RAM will see to that.
 

gwhizkids

macrumors G5
Jun 21, 2013
13,307
21,484
What are you talking about? The iPad Air 2 didn't "struggle" with iOS 8 (the OS it shipped with) and it sure as hell doesn't "struggle" with iOS 9.2.

The original iPad Air was great on iOS 7, but iOS 8 took its toll in areas (Spotlight, Siri, areas with blur), and iOS 9 continues that trend. The iPad Air 2 will run iOS 10 and beyond. That tri-core CPU, octa-core GPU, and 2GB of RAM will see to that.
My mistake. I thought the OP said iPad 2, not iPad Air 2. I think the Air 2 will be supported for 4-5 years, at least.
 

alphonseM

macrumors member
Mar 29, 2014
85
38
Noone can answer that question for you. It could be 2 years, but it could also be more. Depends on where Apple wants to take iOS, how you define and understand "keep supporting" (i.e. in terms of access to upgrades or a good user experience) and what you plan to use the device for (i.e. playing the latest games, browsing the web or reading ebooks).
 
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kiranmk2

macrumors 68000
Oct 4, 2008
1,666
2,308
I suspect it will be supported for a long time - the CPU matches the A9 in the 6s and it was the first device to use 2 GB RAM.
 

Benjamin Frost

Suspended
May 9, 2015
2,405
5,001
London, England
My guess (and that's all it is, of course) is that it might make it to iOS 10 (or X), but probably not to 11. Its already struggling with iOS 9 (and struggled famously on iOS 8 until, I believe, 8.2). Perhaps Apple will come up with a way to "OS thin" iOS to keep it running, but, while I don't believe they intentionally obsolete old models, they also don't have any incentive to go out of their way to keep it running. Call it passive vs active "obsoleting".

Seriously?

It's barely a year old, and I would hardly say it's struggling with iOS 9. If the iPad 2 has been supported through 5 OSs, I would imagine the Air 2 will be as well, if not more.
 

cipher29

macrumors regular
Mar 6, 2009
248
306
Even Apple can't answer that question at this time, but the device is powerful, and it has 2 Gb of ram, so I would say you'll be ok for some more years.

Apple absolutely, 100% knows when the iPad Air 2 will be end of sale and end of support...

I suspect we will see end of sale at some point this year and end of official software support 3-5 years away..
 

Max(IT)

Suspended
Dec 8, 2009
8,551
1,662
Italy
Apple absolutely, 100% knows when the iPad Air 2 will be end of sale and end of support...

I suspect we will see end of sale at some point this year and end of official software support 3-5 years away..
End of sales this year? Lol.... Apple still sells iPad Air, and it will be sell until iPad Air 3. So it is 1-1,5 another years MINIMUM for iPad Air 2.
 

cipher29

macrumors regular
Mar 6, 2009
248
306
End of sales this year? Lol.... Apple still sells iPad Air, and it will be sell until iPad Air 3. So it is 1-1,5 another years MINIMUM for iPad Air 2.

Lol? It's so hard to fathom Apple announcing an iPad Air 2 replacement in the next 11 months?
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
Lol? It's so hard to fathom Apple announcing an iPad Air 2 replacement in the next 11 months?
That doesn't mean that the Air 2 would no longer be sold. The preceding model is usually still being sold even when a newer one starts being sold.
 

AddisonIII

macrumors regular
May 8, 2013
190
54
My guess (and that's all it is, of course) is that it might make it to iOS 10 (or X), but probably not to 11. Its already struggling with iOS 9 (and struggled famously on iOS 8 until, I believe, 8.2). Perhaps Apple will come up with a way to "OS thin" iOS to keep it running, but, while I don't believe they intentionally obsolete old models, they also don't have any incentive to go out of their way to keep it running. Call it passive vs active "obsoleting".
Huummmmm...Speaking for myself and have an Air2 I personally see no such struggle. No more so than those who just purchased a mini4 or the new model iPhones.
 
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Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,172
10,187
The moment they will start selling the iPad Air 3

Not necessarily. Apple stopped selling the iPad 3 when the 4 came out, but still kept selling the 2.

-----

OP: I believe that with the 2GB of Ram and Tri-Core processor, the Air 2 will last for several years.
 

iTom17

macrumors 6502a
Aug 2, 2013
967
1,130
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
This has always been a hard question to answer, because history has proven that it constantly changes. iPad 3 for example is one year newer than the iPad 2, but yet it struggles more with the latest iOS version. iPad 4 isn't much better either. Heck, even the iPad Air (1st generation) seems to have its issues, although it looks like iOS 9.3 is going to fix a lot of those.

At the other hand, iPad Air 2 is quite a powerful device (the tri-core processor + 2 GB RAM does make a huge difference). If Apple doesn't mess things up, like introducing a redesign for iOS 10/11, it should be fine for at least another three years.
 
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