iPad 2 Users! Is yours almost unusable with iOS 9.x?

[bensisko]

I'd love to buy a bunch of iPad 2s and hang them on the wall as digital picture frames.

Your argument has been posted before.

But it still ignores the big truth that Apple would much rather sell you a new iPad rather than see you continue to use an older one. It doesn't benefit them one bit at all (aside from statistics) to keep us around.

There's a number of reasons why downgrading won't ever happen. Search old threads for more material if you really are interested.

Only reason why the ipad2 was supported for so long was because Apple sold the ipad2 to education and made the promise of 5 year window.

Apple, a for profit company, wants to SELL you something?? Scandalous!

 

[joeblow7777]

Your argument has been posted before.

But it still ignores the big truth that Apple would much rather sell you a new iPad rather than see you continue to use an older one. It doesn't benefit them one bit at all (aside from statistics) to keep us around.

There's a number of reasons why downgrading won't ever happen. Search old threads for more material if you really are interested.

Of course Apple would like everyone to buy new devices. They are a business, not a charity. Like all businesses, they do things that aren't necessarily in consumer's best interest in order to increase their own profit. I just don't think that intentionally crippling their own devices is one of those things.

 

[bufffilm]

Of course Apple would like everyone to buy new devices. They are a business, not a charity. Like all businesses, they do things that aren't necessarily in consumer's best interest in order to increase their own profit. I just don't think that intentionally crippling their own devices is one of those things.

And I don't subscribe to the 'intentional cripple' camp either.

But Apple had no choice but to support the iPad 2 for 5 years, and later iOS versions have not been kind to it.

 

[joeblow7777]

And I don't subscribe to the 'intentional cripple' camp either.

But Apple had no choice but to support the iPad 2 for 5 years, and later iOS versions have not been kind to it.

I don't see how they were forced to support it. No one bats and eye when Android devices stop getting updates after 2 years.

 

[bufffilm]

I don't see how they were forced to support it. No one bats and eye when Android devices stop getting updates after 2 years.

Apple had to specifically put in writing that they would support the iPad 2 for 5 years (of updates) when they pushed it to the educational systems in 2011.

They would never have bought it otherwise without that commitment.

Apple sold the iPad 2 to schools in CA and other municipalities in the US.

All this is in the news at the time...Google it.

 

[joeblow7777]

Apple had to specifically put in writing that they would support the iPad 2 for 5 years (of updates) when they pushed it to the educational systems in 2011.

They would never have bought it otherwise without that commitment.

Apple sold the iPad 2 to schools in CA and other municipalities in the US.

All this is in the news at the time...Google it.

"Support" doesn't necessarily mean providing major OS updates. It can also mean just hardware support and security patches. For instance, Microsoft provided support for machines running Windows XP until just a couple of years ago. Their support never required for the machines to be updated to Windows Vista, 7, or 8. It depends on exactly what the contracts say.

 

[bufffilm]

"Support" doesn't necessarily mean providing major OS updates. It can also mean just hardware support and security patches. For instance, Microsoft provided support for machines running Windows XP until just a couple of years ago. Their support never required for the machines to be updated to Windows Vista, 7, or 8. It depends on exactly what the contracts say.

No, Apple had to promise them 5 years of iOS updates. IOS updates.

No school was going to commit millions of dollars to buy iPads without a solid commitment from Apple back then.

Back in 2011, some thought the iPad would replace textbooks. There were many pilot programs all over. Some municipalities including LA. signed up. Of course, it never really caught on.

Just one example:

http://www.scpr.org/blogs/education...d-la-schools-decide-on-ipad-software-it-star/

 

[cdj52]

Just sent my iPad 2 to Buy Back World after getting the 9.7 Pro (which I love). Gave me $72 for it which wasn't too bad I guess.

I felt like some days it would run extremely well but other days it would get hung up on everything I tried to do.

 

[bufffilm]

Just sent my iPad 2 to Buy Back World after getting the 9.7 Pro (which I love). Gave me $72 for it which wasn't too bad I guess.

I felt like some days it would run extremely well but other days it would get hung up on everything I tried to do.

My iPad is worth way more than 72 bucks.

What are those stories about the ipad2 on iOS 9 about then? Does it run decently or are they lying?

 

[rui no onna]

My iPad is worth way more than 72 bucks.

What are those stories about the ipad2 on iOS 9 about then? Does it run decently or are they lying?

As always, depends on whom you ask. Personally, I couldn't stand iOS 7 on A5 much less later firmwares.

 

[bufffilm]

As always, depends on whom you ask. Personally, I couldn't stand iOS 7 on A5 much less later firmwares.

But you had to be on ios7 if you wanted to continue using FaceTime.

 

[powerbook911]

Old iPads work nicely with one of the Night Stand style applications if you have a stand or dock to put it in. Get time, weather, etc. exactly right next to the bed. I never take mine off this. However, I'm not sure how much longer LCD will last? It has been serving me in this way for 4.5 years now. LCD on 24/7.

 

[BenTrovato]

My sister has the Mini1...same model as your wife's. My brother-in-law has an ipad2 64gb (I have 32gb model.) Both are the 1st generation ipad2...not the later model.

Switch to the Puffin browser. It really helps!

I'm not sure what iOS version my sis's Mini1 is on now...but the two things I listed earlier might help you still.

Good luck!
[doublepost=1474812632][/doublepost]

Ipad2 can't run ios10.​

Oops! My mistake. Thought it was air 2

 

[rui no onna]

But you had to be on ios7 if you wanted to continue using FaceTime.

Interesting. When did Apple make that requirement? Because I remember still being able to make/receive FaceTime video calls via iOS 6 shortly after iOS 8 was originally released.

 

[bufffilm]

Interesting. When did Apple make that requirement? Because I remember still being able to make/receive FaceTime video calls via iOS 6 shortly after iOS 8 was originally released.

http://www.iphonehacks.com/2014/04/apple-offers-fix-ios-6-facetime-calling-woes.html/amp

My ipad2 was on iOS 6 jail-broken.

Then in 2014, I suffered some short-term memory loss which included the complex passcode I put on my iPad.

My sister had to bring my iPad to an Apple store to wipe and restore it. (I had Erase Data set to No and was trying numerous times with no luck remembering it.)

That put ios7 on it.

I'm just glad that a JB was found for ios7 a short time later...which I promptly applied and rest is history.

 

[Keirasplace]

Your argument has been posted before.

But it still ignores the big truth that Apple would much rather sell you a new iPad rather than see you continue to use an older one. It doesn't benefit them one bit at all (aside from statistics) to keep us around.

There's a number of reasons why downgrading won't ever happen. Search old threads for more material if you really are interested.

Only reason why the ipad2 was supported for so long was because Apple sold the ipad2 to education and made the promise of 5 year window.

The Main reason is SECURITY. If you could downgrade, then you could just downgrade to break into a phone. In first few versions, you could do just that.
You could argue that they could make special versions of 6, 7 just for older devices with just the security patches, but that's a very different argument to make. Not having to replicate dev effort accross platforms probably precludes that.

 

[bufffilm]

The Main reason is SECURITY. If you could downgrade, then you could just downgrade to break into a phone. In first few versions, you could do just that.
You could argue that they could make special versions of 6, 7 just for older devices with just the security patches, but that's a very different argument to make. Not having to replicate dev effort accross platforms probably precludes that.

I'm not sure why you quoted my post and then talk about downgrading and security.

I don't really care about downgrading because I'm very careful about upgrading. Someone else wanted the ability to downgrade...wasn't me.

 

[windowpain]

The Main reason is SECURITY. If you could downgrade, then you could just downgrade to break into a phone. In first few versions, you could do just that.
You could argue that they could make special versions of 6, 7 just for older devices with just the security patches, but that's a very different argument to make. Not having to replicate dev effort accross platforms probably precludes that.

We are not talking about putting iOS5 on an iPad Pro or anything like that, just the ability, for example, restore the iPad to the original OS that it shipped with.
Is this just a wildly crazy idea or it is just me?

You can (basically) put whatever OS you want on your computer, why is it so diffrent for an iPad?
Apple is pitching them as computer replacement devices, so why not allow the same?

(Yes, the answer is money..I know..but it wasn't so long ago that they changed their policy to allow older versions of apps to be downloaded too, and the world didn't end. It isn't going to ruin Apple to allow someone to put iOS7 on their iPad2.)

 

[bufffilm]

We are not talking about putting iOS5 on an iPad Pro or anything like that, just the ability, for example, restore the iPad to the original OS that it shipped with.
Is this just a wildly crazy idea or it is just me?

You can (basically) put whatever OS you want on your computer, why is it so diffrent for an iPad?
Apple is pitching them as computer replacement devices, so why not allow the same?

(Yes, the answer is money..I know..but it wasn't so long ago that they changed their policy to allow older versions of apps to be downloaded too, and the world didn't end. It isn't going to ruin Apple to allow someone to put iOS7 on their iPad2.)

The wish to downgrade has been posted before...it's not an unreasonable request.

But Apple is very unlikely to implement, ever.

Incidentally, Keiraplace's argument about downgrading due to security doesn't hold water.

 

[Vidgamer]

As an experiment, I did a full reset of my iPad 2 and reinstalled about a dozen of my most used apps.

It is now noticeably more responsive. It's still slow, but is at least back to being usable.

I will upgrade at some point, but I feel I've got a bit more life out of the iPad 2 with this move.

(BTW, I had previously done a reset followed by a restore of my backup - this didn't make any difference, so actually reducing the number of apps seems to help)

Thanks for this post. I've been having a terrible time with it getting so unresponsive. Certain apps would be OK, but browsing some websites was very frustrating, with constant reloading. Finally decided it was annoying enough to do a factory reset. Probably lost a bit of data, but I mostly use the iPad 2 for browsing. In theory, it should be OK for that. After starting over, browsing a website that would almost always cause the browser to crash and reload worked fine, if still slow. It's much improved.

The main aggravation is how it should be easier to back up data. Drag-n-drop wasn't working for me with folders, even when I updated iTunes to the latest. Couldn't find anything with a search, so gave up. Also, it wiped-out my backup from earlier in the day. Why bother having backups, particularly when resetting the machine, if they just get overwritten?

Not sure Apple has thought this stuff all the way through, but perhaps I'm supposed to buy a new iPad, so maybe they have! ;-)

Oh, and to top it off, GarageBand and Pages no longer work and won't install (even though I had them), and Apple/iTunes doesn't keep old versions. Nice.

 

[I7guy]

Thanks for this post. I've been having a terrible time with it getting so unresponsive. Certain apps would be OK, but browsing some websites was very frustrating, with constant reloading. Finally decided it was annoying enough to do a factory reset. Probably lost a bit of data, but I mostly use the iPad 2 for browsing. In theory, it should be OK for that. After starting over, browsing a website that would almost always cause the browser to crash and reload worked fine, if still slow. It's much improved.

The main aggravation is how it should be easier to back up data. Drag-n-drop wasn't working for me with folders, even when I updated iTunes to the latest. Couldn't find anything with a search, so gave up. Also, it wiped-out my backup from earlier in the day. Why bother having backups, particularly when resetting the machine, if they just get overwritten?

Not sure Apple has thought this stuff all the way through, but perhaps I'm supposed to buy a new iPad, so maybe they have! ;-)

Oh, and to top it off, GarageBand and Pages no longer work and won't install (even though I had them), and Apple/iTunes doesn't keep old versions. Nice.

The issue with safari and the iPad 2, imo is not reloading tabs it's content heavy 2017 websites on the 2011 a5 with 512 ram.

 

[bufffilm]

The issue with safari and the iPad 2, imo is not reloading tabs it's content heavy 2017 websites on the 2011 a5 with 512 ram.

And yet, my ipad2 and the Puffin browser on ios7 still does reasonably well.

Yes, reloading tabs can't be helped, but...

Give me a content heavy site to try.

[doublepost=1496066974][/doublepost]

Thanks for this post. I've been having a terrible time with it getting so unresponsive. Certain apps would be OK, but browsing some websites was very frustrating, with constant reloading. Finally decided it was annoying enough to do a factory reset. Probably lost a bit of data, but I mostly use the iPad 2 for browsing. In theory, it should be OK for that. After starting over, browsing a website that would almost always cause the browser to crash and reload worked fine, if still slow. It's much improved.

The main aggravation is how it should be easier to back up data. Drag-n-drop wasn't working for me with folders, even when I updated iTunes to the latest. Couldn't find anything with a search, so gave up. Also, it wiped-out my backup from earlier in the day. Why bother having backups, particularly when resetting the machine, if they just get overwritten?

Not sure Apple has thought this stuff all the way through, but perhaps I'm supposed to buy a new iPad, so maybe they have! ;-)

Oh, and to top it off, GarageBand and Pages no longer work and won't install (even though I had them), and Apple/iTunes doesn't keep old versions. Nice.

I assume you're on 9.3.x ?

For starters, ditch Safari and try Puffin. Some other suggestions may follow...

 

[jonnyb098]

Or just pony up for the new 2017 iPad.......it's $329. In all the time people waste trying to figure out how to make their 6 year old iPad run better by trying different apps and retstoring, you could just be enjoying a new iPad as it's meant to be in 2017.

 

[bufffilm]

Or just pony up for the new 2017 iPad.......it's $329. In all the time people waste trying to figure out how to make their 6 year old iPad run better by trying different apps and retstoring, you could just be enjoying a new iPad as it's meant to be in 2017.

Of course, you can always do that.

On the other hand, what's wrong with maximizing what you have?

 

[I7guy]

And yet, my ipad2 and the Puffin browser on ios7 still does reasonably well.

Yes, reloading tabs can't be helped, but...

Give me a content heavy site to try.

[doublepost=1496066974][/doublepost]

I assume you're on 9.3.x ?

For starters, ditch Safari and try Puffin. Some other suggestions may follow...

Macrumors for whatever reason, has the most issues with safari on my ipad 2. Macrumors doesn't even load on my iphone 4 and that has the same amount of ram.