iPad How long Apple Will support IPad Air 2?

[Max(IT)]

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

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

That was because the iPad 3 was the worst iPad ever, and Apple knew that at the time.
The same happened for the Mini 3, discontinued when the Mini 4 launched even if they still sell the Mini 2.

I don't expect that for the iPad Air 2, a very strong product.
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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.

iPad 4 isnt much better than the iPad 3 ???
it's night and day ...

the iPad 3 was heavily underpowered for the retina display. The iPad 4 basically was a fix a few months later.

 

[iTom17]

That was because the iPad 3 was the worst iPad ever, and Apple knew that at the time.
The same happened for the Mini 3, discontinued when the Mini 4 launched even if they still sell the Mini 2.

I don't expect that for the iPad Air 2, a very strong product.
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iPad 4 isnt much better than the iPad 3 ???
it's night and day ...

the iPad 3 was heavily underpowered for the retina display. The iPad 4 basically was a fix a few months later.

Technically, yes the iPad 4 is much faster compared to the iPad 3. Practically it isn't. Animations lag like hell. It's almost at the same level as on the iPad 3 (lack of the translucency on that one balances the actual user experience with the iPad 4).

 

[saudor]

Been using a 4 and while it's not a screamer, I wouldn't say it lags like the 3. (Or like hell for that matter) Yeah there are frame drops in the multi tasking but it is barely annoying. Much of my iPad use doesn't involve staring at this animation anyways.

9.3 seems to fix many of the slowdowns. 9.0-9.1 was pretty bad however

 

[Danilo - Italy]

How long Apple Will support IPad Air 2? Till the end of 2018.

 

[Mlrollin91]

How long Apple Will support IPad Air 2? Till the end of 2018.

My money is on 2020. Apple introduced the iPad 2 in 2011, and it will finally be unsupported in 2016. So you are talking about an iPad that came out in 2014. So at least until 2019, but because of 2GB of ram and Tri-core, I am betting 2020 will be the last year. So iOS 14 lol.

 

[andyw715]

The iPad Air 2 replaced the iPad 2 as the go-to "institutional" device.
So I'll assume Apple's long term plan for it would be to be supported as long as the iPad 2 is.
5 years?

 

[Cakefish]

The key influencing factor is that the new 9.7" Pro retains the same 2GB of RAM that the Air 2 has. Seeing as only one iOS device currently has more than that it'll be a very long time before that becomes a limiting factor for OS updates.

 

[Defender2010]

Does everyone think there will be an iPad Air 3? Isn't that what the 9.7" Pro is? That's sorta how I view it. The Pro bit of those devices is just marketing. There will come a day when the 9.7" Pro sits where the iPad Air is now...discounted and production almost shut down. Or Apple will keep the product lines distinct and we will see separate Airs and Pros. Not sure where they are going with the lineup.

 

[Cakefish]

Does everyone think there will be an iPad Air 3? Isn't that what the 9.7" Pro is? That's sorta how I view it. The Pro bit of those devices is just marketing. There will come a day when the 9.7" Pro sits where the iPad Air is now...discounted and production almost shut down. Or Apple will keep the product lines distinct and we will see separate Airs and Pros. Not sure where they are going with the lineup.

No I think that there almost certainly won't be an Air 3. Why? Because the 9.7" Pro is effectively the Air 3 in all but name. Where can Apple cut down without making a hypothetical Air 3 too similar to the Air 2? They could feasibly strip the Pencil, Keyboard support, the True Tone display, 4 speaker arrangement but in that case you're left with merely a SOC upgrade and camera upgrade being pretty much the only difference between the Air 2 and this hypothetical Air 3. The fact that Apple got rid of the original Air (just as they always have traditionally got rid of the 2 generation old iPad in the lineup when a new one in the same range launches) further strongly suggests that the 9.7" Pro is supposed to be a direct successor to the Air 2 and that the 'Pro' moniker is replacing the 'Air' branding for iPads.

 

[Defender2010]

No I think that there almost certainly won't be an Air 3. Why? Because the 9.7" Pro is effectively the Air 3 in all but name. Where can Apple cut down without making a hypothetical Air 3 too similar to the Air 2? They could feasibly strip the Pencil, Keyboard support, the True Tone display, 4 speaker arrangement but in that case you're left with merely a SOC upgrade and camera upgrade being pretty much the only difference between the Air 2 and this hypothetical Air 3. The fact that Apple got rid of the original Air (just as they always have traditionally got rid of the 2 generation old iPad in the lineup when a new one in the same range launches) further strongly suggests that the 9.7" Pro is supposed to be a direct successor to the Air 2 and that the 'Pro' moniker is replacing the 'Air' branding for iPads.

That's basically what I think too. I doubt we will see the Air 3.

 

[XTheLancerX]

iPad Air 2 was monumental in terms of hardware. Just one generation of difference here (iPad air vs air 2) will probably be a 2-3 year difference in support... iPad Air has a really bad GPU and not enough RAM, at all. iPad Air 2 is a beast with a GPU that's like double that of the iPad Air and with double the RAM.


Wouldn't be surprised to see iPad Air 2 make it to iOS 13 or 14 even but iPad Air? I'd be surprised if it gets iOS 10 or even 11. Not enough RAM. Every 64-bit device from the beginning should have had at least 2GB of RAM.

 

[d5aqoëp]

CPU+GPU combo in iPad Air 2 is almost as fast as entry level Windows laptops based on celeron or CoreM processors from Intel. So technically, Apple has no reason not to provide updates till the time hardware gives up on us.

 

[perezr10]

I think the iPad Air 2 outscores last years MacBook on Geekbench.

 

[Andres Cantu]

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

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

Don't forget how Apple took that a step further and continued to sell the iPad 2 for $399 when the iPad Air came out. That was almost as evil as the $999 2011 Thunderbolt display in 2016.

 

[Tycho24]

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.

Agreed... I think it has a LOT of legs!

 

[MacFather]

Deleted.

 

[Bonzey2416]

At WWDC 2022, Apple announced iPadOS 16, with a handful of new features. iPadOS 16 dropped support for iPad Air 2 and mini 4. This means that iPad Air 2 will get 8 years of support when iPadOS 16 releases to the public.

 

[gwhizkids]

At WWDC 2022, Apple announced iPadOS 16, with a handful of new features. iPadOS 16 dropped support for iPad Air 2 and mini 4. This means that iPad Air 2 will get 8 years of support when iPadOS 16 releases to the public.

I'd say that's not too shabby!

 

[Bonzey2416]

I'd say that's not too shabby!

Yeah, the combination of Apple A8X, which has 3 cores, and 2 GB RAM, can support iPadOS 15 on iPad Air 2. iPadOS 16 will not be compatible with iPad Air 2. Even after iPadOS 16 was released to the public, iPad Air 2 will continue to receive security updates until around 2024.

 

[Bonzey2416]

Back in early 2016, users told that iPad Air 2 will support for 5 years. Fast forward to 2022 and it turns to be supported iPad Air 2 for 8 years as Apple is dropping support for iPadOS 16 for iPad Air 2 at WWDC.

 

[gwhizkids]

Back in early 2016, users told that iPad Air 2 will support for 5 years. Fast forward to 2022 and it turns to be supported iPad Air 2 for 8 years as Apple is dropping support for iPadOS 16 for iPad Air 2 at WWDC.

Yup. We got that from your first post.