Long live the iPad 2

iOS
#1

I’m one of those pesky iPad 2 users - Finally updated to iOS 9 and finally started with a clean install and its not that bad actually. I was considering replacing it early next year, but I think I’ll hang in till the bitter end.

I wonder if the A5 devices will see iOS 10… Given the new way Apple developed iOS 9 (apparently for the 32 bit devices they started with a striped back version of iOS 9 - just the basics, and then turned on features one by one to find the best balance of performance/features) + with app thinning, games developers no longer need to support them, thus the new hardware isn’t held back by the old.

Perhaps they’ll get iOS 10 in terms of the base system with very few new features. Given the iPad 2 + iPad Mini 1 which are the same device performance wise, make up nearly 40 percent of the installed base + the slower iPad 3 which makes up a further 10 percent, thats nearly 50 percent of the iPad market on an A5 devices. Sure the numbers might be a little out, but they’re not surprising given other numbers I’ve seen from various places.

But anyway, I wanted to appreciate the iPad 2 as one of their stellar devices, it didn’t have any major ‘gate’ issue and it has lasted longer than any other iOS device.

1 Like
#2

I know. I never had one, but it’s the device that just won’t die.

#3

I have the first gen ipad mini and it lags to hell for me. I’m going to sell it and get a 4. Eventually.

#4

I just recently sold my iPad 1. Is an iPad 2 worth buying used if it’s in excellent condition and at a low enough price?

#5

Depends how you define value.

#6

I wouldn’t be buying one now… I mean I love mine, but its 4.5 years old… If it was under $100 perhaps but nothing more than that. The iPad 2 is still fetching stupid prices which makes it a poor purchase imho.

#7

Well, I kept my iPad one literally until about six months ago, and up to that point I was pretty happy with it.

I definitely don’t need another iPad, I’m still marvelling over my iPhone 6S, not even the plus version, as I find with Stanza (which yes, I am still using, even though it hasn’t been updated in God knows how long), it comfortably feels like a small paperback novel in size. Likewise, watching video on it is great, and I think it’s more powerful than most of the iPads.

I was just curious if any of them might be cheap enough for other applications. I really do like watching TV while I cook, and although my kitchen has a bar set up, so I can technically sort of look out to my main monitor (I don’t have TV, I watch TV entirely on my main screen, posted in the set up thread), it would be nice to have a screen in the kitchen so I can watch TV while I cook.

But if it’s not worth it, it’s not worth it.

#8

Unless you can get the bargain of the century off getting a refurbished Air or Air 2 and using it until it’s not useable IMO.

#9

So what you’re saying is: no iPad is a good fit for me, because even used, probably more than I would want to pay for something I don’t really need.

I got rid of my iPad 1 because it basically just was too slow, crashed all the time, couldn’t keep up with my video formats, etc. It ended up becoming a very heavy e-reader, and at that point, I realised, it was time to call it quits.

#10

If you were relatively happy with an iPad 1, then perhaps you;d get a little bit out of an iPad 2… can you borrow a friend’s or something?

#11

I only need an iPad for two purposes, really: video and e-reading, although I might just use my iPhone 6S for the latter. As I said, it’s closer to paperback size, especially since stanza has adjustable text sizing with pinch and zoom gestures.

As a teacher, I sometimes used my iPad 1 to pass around a version of whatever I was showing on the classroom screen or my own personal projector (in Japanese public schools, a lot of our equipment items as teachers belong not to the school or the district but are our personal property), but admittedly, not very often.

I’m the real Apple person in my group of friends, and the few that have iPads would never lend one out for an extended time period. I don’t blame them, given the cost of the device, I wouldn’t lend mine out either!

#12

That’s not what we’re saying at all. We’re saying that with the going rate and age of the iPad 2, you’d likely get better value and longevity out of looking elsewhere.

#13

I get that, but you made it sound like newer iPads were more than I would want to pay (hence the “deal of a century” comment).

Or do you mean considering a non-Apple product?

#14

What are you looking to spend on the said iPad 2?

A coupe of months ago I bought a cracked screen iPad 2 without a box, without anything (16GB) for $160, as the people I was buying for didn’t mind about a cracked screen. Good condition iPad 2s seemed to be going for $250 at least. I think because new iPads are so expensive, old iPads have gained value agin?

Oh and btw, a friend of mine recently bought an iPad 2 and she’s happy with it… I assumed she meant Air 2, I was shocked to find she’d bought an iPad 2, but I guess if she’s happy.

#15

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I also get pretty good battery life out of my iPad 2 - Though not as good as under iOS 6/7 where I was getting over 20 hours of usage.

#16

Yeah, okay, I wouldn’t want to spend anything more than $230 AUD, and that’s the upper limit for me, but it looks like about where it starts here. Note 20,000 JPY = $230 AUD.

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#17

I tend to think $230 is a bit much, but then again your usage will be quite limited… How much more would it cost your for an iPad 4?

#18

l am also using Stanza but on the 5S, there are black bars top and bottom. Is this also the case with the 6S? And for those interested, its actually working better in iOS9 than it has, since iOS5. Stuff that didnt work, now does.

#19

@Oldmacs

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@kyte

I’m a total Stanza loyalist. I have also seen it run great on iOS9. It still has the black bars, but much like the old letter boxing issue on my 16:10 Apple Cinema Display, once I start reading, I no longer notice it. I once asked the developer if they’d consider changing the resolution/aspect ration, but I think they said it would require too much work, and the app was dead. I keep three back up copies of it, just in case.

#20

Not surprised they said no. Amazon bought and killed it off because they perceived it was competition for their still lack lustre reading app. They never had any interest in keeping it updated. IN time, I suppose it will stop working but for now, its fine. If at any time I can no longer use it, I’ll be switching permanently to Shubook 2M which is pretty darn close in function, if not exactly the same.

For now, though, Stanza is working fine :slight_smile: