All iPads Just found my 'ancient" iPad 2 (2011) hiddenin my closet. Was only used for 2 months and it went missing for 9 years. Is it still usable in 2020?

[BlueMoose]

(please excuse this lengthy post... I'm just very excited about find this ipad after so long )


Back in 2011(edit), I ordered the iPad 2 from Apple's website. It's a Wifi/cellular model, so it has GPS. I used it for about 2 months. Then I misplaced when my house was being remodeled. I remember looking for it all over the house. Pretty much turning the house upside-down and opened almost every box. Finally gave up looking.

This morning, while looking for my winter coat to prepare for next week's possible snow event, I found that iPad 2 in a box with my other winter gears. It basically just sat in there untouched for about 9 years. It looks brand new, obviously.

I plugged it in and let it charge to 100%. It turned on with no issue. I allowed it update this and that. Now it's at 9.3.5 and says that's the most newest update available. (not surprisingly, since it is a 6-year-old iPad)

Most apps are still usable... even the photos that I took in 2011 are still on it. but everything runs slowly. But it's now 2020, so everything from 2011 obviously feels slow.

I won't really have time to play with it this weekend because I'm picking up my new iPhone 12 Pro tomorrow. However, I'm just wondering how usable the iPad 2 is? Is there no way to update the firmware beyond 9.3.5?

Thanks!

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Is it useable? Yes. Is it a pleasure? Hell no.

In fact, I am writing this reply from an iPad 2. Just clicking the input field at the bottom of the thread, and waiting for the keyboard to appear took 25-30 seconds. Then it took about 5 seconds for the letters to start appearing as I started typing. After the first sentence there was only a sub second lag on the writing.

Apps crash constantly, if they can even launch, Safari reloads pages constantly, everything is sooooo slow. I only use mine as my toilet iPad for that reason.

I had downgraded it to iOS6 which made it significantly faster, but almost no apps were still available, and Safari was unuseable on 90% of all web sites. So I updated it again. Slow functionality is better than no functionality I guess...

 

[bodonnell202]

You may have bought it in 2014, but the iPad 2 is actually from 2011 and the tech in it is now over 9 years old. The A5 chip/512 mb RAM didn’t age well. Unfortunately iOS 9.3.5 is the end of the line for it and as that is 5 versions out of date app support will be limited. Obviously it will still work, but you may find the user experience pretty sub par.

 

[BlueMoose]

You may have bought it in 2014, but the iPad 2 is actually from 2011 and the tech in it is now over 9 years old. The A5 chip/512 mb RAM didn’t age well. Unfortunately iOS 9.3.5 is the end of the line for it and as that is 5 versions out of date app support will be limited. Obviously it will still work, but you may find the user experience pretty sub par.

My mistake... I bought it in May 2011.

I'm an old geezer getting too old... I actually remembered 2 thing wrong. My home remodeling started in January 2011 and lasted for 4+ months.(twice as long as expected and almost 50% over original budget. Dduring which time I lived inside my garage, while the contractors worked slowly) That was why I bought the iPad 2 around that time... my main computer was also packed away in a box and stored in the basement.(because I didn't want to have it set up in the garage.

 

[Built]

I just threw my iPad 2 in the trash. I only kept it for videos I had stored and finally got around to exporting everything to a laptop via Mediatrans.

I have 4 iPad Pros and a couple Airs of various generations and it was only out of laziness that I waited this long to take off the content and trash it.

 

[SirAnthonyHopkins]

Why on earth would you throw it in the trash?

 

[macdogpro]

My iPad 3 is barely usable. But the iPad 2 probably performs the same if not even better with its lower screen resolution.
It’s fine for occasional browsing and very light gaming. But you won’t find current apps experience on iOS 9. It will soon can not find many updated apps on the App Store.

One usage idea many suggest: Use old tablet as a slide show photo frame in the corner of your living room.

Oh, you can still also use it for reading with the iBooks / Apple Books app.
I still use my iPad 3 to read online Mangas / comics until I purchase 2020 iPad Pro this year.

 

[limesmoothie]

I found my old iPad Mini, and whilst it runs slowly and won’t update the OS further, it is fine as a controller for e.g. streaming Spotify to wireless speakers. Screen still looks good, but loads of apps won’t work, sadly. Perfect size for reading books, though.

 

[Mr.Blacky]

I'm honestly surprised you could charge the battery after 9 years.

 

[japanime]

If you are a musician, you can use the iPad as a sheet-music display. That's how I use my iPad mini 2. It's also still a great ebook reader.

 

[AutomaticApple]

This morning, while looking for my winter coat to prepare for next week's possible snow event, I found that iPad 2 in a box with my other winter gears. It basically just sat in there untouched for about 9 years. It looks brand new, obviously.

Why was it there? 😆

 

[Arran]

I'm honestly surprised you could charge the battery after 9 years.

I fired up my 1st gen iPod touch from Sept 2007 yesterday. Original battery (13 years old now) still holds a respectable charge.

 

[LotusLord]

We actually have one that's icloud locked to my wife's grandmother's apple ID. She just recently passed so I suspect we'll never be able to use it again. Off to the electronics recycler with it unfortunately.

 

[DanTSX]

I just threw my iPad 2 in the trash. I only kept it for videos I had stored and finally got around to exporting everything to a laptop via Mediatrans.

I have 4 iPad Pros and a couple Airs of various generations and it was only out of laziness that I waited this long to take off the content and trash it.

You need to take advantage of Apple’s recycling programs.

I’m far from a tree hugger, but that could had been handled better than tossing it in the trash. Lots of nasties in the iPad.

National Services

Learn more about the available recycling options made available through the Apple Recycling Program.

www.apple.com

 

[BlueMoose]

Why was it there? 😆

my entire house was being remodeled and it was easier to move everything into the basement. I pretty much just tossed everything into carboard boxes and hauled them to the basement.

 

[Ungibbed]

Had my iPad 2 forever and retired it since the display itself just decided to stop being attached to the back half. Don’t know where I could get it re-glued properly.

There are some real die hards in here still trying to use such a relic though, I thought I was a holdout using an OG iPad Air for years till getting a much newer pro 12.9...

I still got the Air around for basic reading and browsing. Cleaning it up for a donation.

 

[Killbynumbers]

I'm honestly surprised you could charge the battery after 9 years.

It's not surprising at all. I got out my old iPod Photo a few days ago. The battery charged up and it still works. Last time I used that iPod was probably back in 2008.

 

[Virgilinsanity]

I’m still using my iPad Air. (1st generation). I watch webinars on it, while taking notes on my iPad Pro (2nd generatio). It really makes me appreciate how amazing the iPad Pro is. 😊

 

[MevetS]

First, where do you live that you didn't need winter gear for 9 years!

Second, while I have a 2018 iPad Pro, we also have and still use a first generation iPad Air. Mainly for streaming music and podcasts, but occasionally for other tasks if it is the one I have at the time.

Have fun with yours.

 

[Aspasia]

My first iPad was the 2 (cellular). Will never get rid of it because it was the last iPad introduced by Steve Jobs. It was always with me, especially when traveling, then I switched to an iPad mini because it was easier to carry around.

Now my iPad 2 is used primarily as a scanner, but I still use it for a few things because of the large screen. Can't be updated past 9.3.5, but it still works very well. Just not as fast as current models. I'm okay with that.

 

[MacBH928]

my condolences, I felt sad reading that story.

Is it useable? Yes. Is it a pleasure? Hell no.

In fact, I am writing this reply from an iPad 2. Just clicking the input field at the bottom of the thread, and waiting for the keyboard to appear took 25-30 seconds. Then it took about 5 seconds for the letters to start appearing as I started typing. After the first sentence there was only a sub second lag on the writing.

Apps crash constantly, if they can even launch, Safari reloads pages constantly, everything is sooooo slow. I only use mine as my toilet iPad for that reason.

I had downgraded it to iOS6 which made it significantly faster, but almost no apps were still available, and Safari was unuseable on 90% of all web sites. So I updated it again. Slow functionality is better than no functionality I guess...

I will never understand how this happens, when a product is released everything works fine some years in the future it barely moves. I understand if its new technology like playing 3D games or 4K video, but watching YouTube and browsing was an iPad 1 feature.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

My iPad 3 is barely usable. But the iPad 2 probably performs the same if not even better with its lower screen resolution.

My mother in law has an iPad 3, and it performs markedly better.

I will never understand how this happens, when a product is released everything works fine some years in the future it barely moves. I understand if its new technology like playing 3D games or 4K video, but watching YouTube and browsing was an iPad 1 feature.

You have to remember that websites have become much more complex since 2011, with way more going on in the background, which require much heavier processing. And apps have also been updated to take advantage of more processing power in newer models, and not all function well (If at all) on that model anymore. But even then I agree with you, it is amazing that things are so bad. But Apple really should have stopped with iOS7 on that model IMHO, but they kept selling it for education, so they had to keep the modern iOS running on it - Stupid decision, and of course only because of $$$.

 

[Built]

You need to take advantage of Apple’s recycling programs.

I’m far from a tree hugger, but that could had been handled better than tossing it in the trash. Lots of nasties in the iPad.

National Services

Learn more about the available recycling options made available through the Apple Recycling Program.

www.apple.com

As a cigarette dangles out of your mouth in your profile pic. 🙄

 

[Digitalguy]

(please excuse this lengthy post... I'm just very excited about find this ipad after so long )


Back in 2011(edit), I ordered the iPad 2 from Apple's website. It's a Wifi/cellular model, so it has GPS. I used it for about 2 months. Then I misplaced when my house was being remodeled. I remember looking for it all over the house. Pretty much turning the house upside-down and opened almost every box. Finally gave up looking.

This morning, while looking for my winter coat to prepare for next week's possible snow event, I found that iPad 2 in a box with my other winter gears. It basically just sat in there untouched for about 9 years. It looks brand new, obviously.

I plugged it in and let it charge to 100%. It turned on with no issue. I allowed it update this and that. Now it's at 9.3.5 and says that's the most newest update available. (not surprisingly, since it is a 6-year-old iPad)

Most apps are still usable... even the photos that I took in 2011 are still on it. but everything runs slowly. But it's now 2020, so everything from 2011 obviously feels slow.

I won't really have time to play with it this weekend because I'm picking up my new iPhone 12 Pro tomorrow. However, I'm just wondering how usable the iPad 2 is? Is there no way to update the firmware beyond 9.3.5?

Thanks!

I have an ipad 2 32GB cellular. It still has 91% of battery capacity. I use it for 2 things, jump desktop to control my pc from another room and youtube (stil works well and does not reload videos even after weeks, probably because I do nothing esle on it and because RAM management was not that agressive in IOS 9. So it stil has some use.

 

[Digitalguy]

My mother in law has an iPad 3, and it performs markedly better.


You have to remember that websites have become much more complex since 2011, with way more going on in the background, which require much heavier processing. And apps have also been updated to take advantage of more processing power in newer models, and not all function well (If at all) on that model anymore. But even then I agree with you, it is amazing that things are so bad. But Apple really should have stopped with iOS7 on that model IMHO, but they kept selling it for education, so they had to keep the modern iOS running on it - Stupid decision, and of course only because of $$$.

The main issue is that IOS 9 takes up much more RAM than IOS 6 or 7 (and basically as much as current ipados). So the ipad is struggling with the few MB lefts to run everything else, which causes slowdonws and crashes. IOS 6 runs much smother even on my iphone 3GS with less resources, but hardly anything runs on IOS 6 so it's still better to have IOS 9 than to have an older version, even if it's that slow