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I have the iPad Air 2, released in 2014 and looks identical to the new iPad released today. It has the latest OS updates and it's never had any performance iss

I have the iPad Air 2, released in 2014 and looks identical to the new iPad released today. It has the latest OS updates and it's never had any performance issues. Why would someone upgrade from this 5 year old device?

r00fus 7y ago
Arguably they wouldn't. This is for folks who want to buy their first iPad or are upgrading from Air1 or previous.
spike021 7y ago
They gave a number, something like 60% of new iPad owners are buying in at this level. Assuming there's truth to that number then this is meant as an entry-level iPad, not an "upgrade".
cma 7y ago
One reason people might upgrade from that one is I think Apple Pencil isn't supported on the 2014.
nickthegreek 7y ago
pencil support, better gaming, or 1 yr of tv+ service that I believe comes with all new apple products are some possible reasons. Screen is also slightly bigger. You could always hustle that Air 2 for a decent amount and pick up the new one for a great deal.
hadlock 7y ago
We're going to buy an iPad for our boat to keep track of systems (they all have bluetooth now, especially the solar power stuff) and gps/navigation/charts ("maps"), plus have a copy of all the manuals in PDF ready to go. Also it interfaces with the onboard navigational sensors via a wifi gateway. It will probably live on the boat for 8-10 years before it's replaced, but since it's expected to have a long lifespan we want one with a new battery. Also also, the newer models are typically IPX-something rated (waterproof/resistant-esque) better than the old models. Not everyone bought in to the tablet craze in the first few years.
- js2 7y ago
  None of the iPads have any splash, water, or dust resistance rating. Only iPhone 7 and later, and the Apple Watch have ratings: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207043 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207043 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205000 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205000 You should definitely put any iPad in a case if you need water resistance.
- barkingcat 7y ago
  I don't think an ipad would last 8 years. Some of the existing models will have bulging batteries within 2 years. Add the water / wet environment, and as a previous poster says - no waterproof/resistant rating. Put it in a watertight case, and expect to change it within 3 years.
  - java-man 7y ago
    not to say some software that used to work stops for no (valid) reason (skype).
  - Tomte 7y ago
    My iPad Air 1st gen (that's from six years ago) is still working fine. It got a little sluggish, but iOS 12 made it fast again.
  - donarb 7y ago
    I have an original iPad I got the first day they came out (April 2010). Still works and the battery still charges. Only bad part is the OS is stuck at 5 and Safari crashes on some websites.
    - simlevesque 7y ago
      My mom uses her iPad 1 since then without any problem.
    - martin_a 7y ago
      Got one laying around, too. But Safari seems to crash on almost any website these days and there are no updates anymore etc. pp. Wonder what to do with it. Any ideas?
fucking_tragedy 7y ago
Well, if you bought a new iPad mini in 2014, Apple is deprecating your device in this release. Based on previous iPad deprecations, your iPad Air 2 will probably be deprecated within the next two years. Convenience and security wise, you'd want to buy a new device before your old one is made incompatible with new iOS releases.
Fnoord 7y ago
To me the answer seemed obvious, and I wanted to reply "it isn't supported anymore in iOS". To my surprise, this 5 year old tablet of yours is still supported in iOS 12.4.1 [1], and it will also be supported in iPadOS 13 [2]. That's impressive. Which Android tablet from 2014 or 2015 is still supported nowadays? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_Air_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_Air_2 [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPadOS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPadOS
- ocdtrekkie 7y ago
  The crazy reality is: major carriers like Verizon still sell iPhone 6S devices today, brand new. So there's an expectation that they have to support a brand new iPhone with iOS upgrades for a significant number of years. And Apple can do it because they only sell a handful of models that have a very common hardware set.
  - josephg 7y ago
    The iPhone 6s is still a great phone. I’m using a 6s+ to write this, and with a new battery it still feels new and responsive, especially after the optimizations Apple made in iOS a couple years back. This phone is 5 years old now. With each new iPhone release I look for excuses to spend the money and upgrade, and I still can’t see any reason to do so. I mean, those new cameras and faceid looks great but touchid is fine and I’m not a photographer. I feel torn on the price of new iPhones - on one hand, spending so much makes it harder to justify the incremental upgrades. And on the other hand, after my experience with the 6s+ I’ll expect my next iphone to last at least 5-6 years as well, so forking out that much money for a smartphone doesn’t seem so crazy any more.
    - ocdtrekkie 7y ago
      Yeah, part of me says, hey, buy the newest phone, and keep it five or six years. Though the other part says, if iPhone 7 is are free on contract right now. Get that, and in two years get an iphone XR or whatever for free on contract, etc. Because then I get that fresh new battery every couple years, and spend a lot less money on having that shiny new top-of-the-line-ness that wears off shortly anyways.
hrktb 7y ago
As someone planning on upgrading a kid’s device, better performance: you never have any, we get tons, in particular when multitasking. I confess I am used to the 13” pro so I am more sensible to the glitches perhaps. Touch ID is a real QOL improvement. A better camera is actually nice, I don’t understand people making fun of it. All in all I think there’s a ton to love in this new version. That doesn’t make older ones obsolete, but it’s significantly better I think.
landcoctos 7y ago
I have an Air 2 as well but my screen is cracked. The glued glass/display is great however the cost to repair is nearly equal to what I paid (on sale). The current ipad does not have a similar display setup.
breakbread 7y ago
I recently inherited a gen1 iPad Pro (9.7in) and did not realize the Pro models were originally released in 2015/2016. I can see it being relevant for quite a while, especially considering I don't use it for anything "Pro" in nature.
AdrianB1 7y ago
I have an even older iPad 4 since 2012; I use it for a single purpose, flying (LSA planes) with a specific app that has no comparable (good enough) version for Android. I will not upgrade until the app will no longer work, I guess you will do the same.
pfranz 7y ago
My wife has an iPad Air 2. The screen cracked over the years (it's mostly our 3yo's now--the source of the cracks). I went to get the screen repaired and was quoted at $169 (because the screen was "a one-off" for Apple) other devices were quoted closer to $99. The battery life isn't the best anymore, either. If you're playing videos and using basic apps, it still works great. My wife likes to use Garage Band to jot down ideas and over the years it has gotten a bit sluggish. She also really likes the keyboard case on the newer iPads. If it wasn't for Garage Band she'd probably get a Surface. If you're happy with what you have, keep on using it.
kayoone 7y ago
This is the lowest end iPad for students and people who just want a basic tablet, it's also only $320. It has the CPU out of the iPhone 7 and pencil and keyboard support. I own the previous 2018 one and combined with the pencil it's a pretty great tablet for a good price. Used it a lot for note taking in the past and to control media around the house.
Tepix 7y ago
I upgraded from the iPad Air 2 to the iPad Air 3. Performance is better (mostly noticeable when upgrading apps), the display is slightly larger, which is nice.
ianamartin 7y ago
I have the exact same iPad. It's a stretch to say it has no performance issues. It's sluggish, at best. It's not so bad that I'm ready to buy a new one. But it's slow, it's memory constrained. It is damn impressive though. Many laptops don't have a working life near this long before they become unusably slow.
grepthisab 7y ago
Same boat here, I got an iPad Air (first gen) refurbished many years ago. Still works great, and I used it this morning. Showing no signs of not working properly, unlike old iPhones seem to do when they're dated. I like the new ones, but I can't imagine spending money on one in my current situation.

r00fus 7y ago

Arguably they wouldn't. This is for folks who want to buy their first iPad or are upgrading from Air1 or previous.

spike021 7y ago

They gave a number, something like 60% of new iPad owners are buying in at this level. Assuming there's truth to that number then this is meant as an entry-level iPad, not an "upgrade".

cma 7y ago

One reason people might upgrade from that one is I think Apple Pencil isn't supported on the 2014.

nickthegreek 7y ago

pencil support, better gaming, or 1 yr of tv+ service that I believe comes with all new apple products are some possible reasons. Screen is also slightly bigger. You could always hustle that Air 2 for a decent amount and pick up the new one for a great deal.

hadlock 7y ago

We're going to buy an iPad for our boat to keep track of systems (they all have bluetooth now, especially the solar power stuff) and gps/navigation/charts ("maps"), plus have a copy of all the manuals in PDF ready to go. Also it interfaces with the onboard navigational sensors via a wifi gateway. It will probably live on the boat for 8-10 years before it's replaced, but since it's expected to have a long lifespan we want one with a new battery. Also also, the newer models are typically IPX-something rated (waterproof/resistant-esque) better than the old models. Not everyone bought in to the tablet craze in the first few years.

js2 7y ago
None of the iPads have any splash, water, or dust resistance rating. Only iPhone 7 and later, and the Apple Watch have ratings: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207043 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207043 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205000 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205000 You should definitely put any iPad in a case if you need water resistance.
barkingcat 7y ago
I don't think an ipad would last 8 years. Some of the existing models will have bulging batteries within 2 years. Add the water / wet environment, and as a previous poster says - no waterproof/resistant rating. Put it in a watertight case, and expect to change it within 3 years.
- java-man 7y ago
  not to say some software that used to work stops for no (valid) reason (skype).
- Tomte 7y ago
  My iPad Air 1st gen (that's from six years ago) is still working fine. It got a little sluggish, but iOS 12 made it fast again.
- donarb 7y ago
  I have an original iPad I got the first day they came out (April 2010). Still works and the battery still charges. Only bad part is the OS is stuck at 5 and Safari crashes on some websites.
  - simlevesque 7y ago
    My mom uses her iPad 1 since then without any problem.
  - martin_a 7y ago
    Got one laying around, too. But Safari seems to crash on almost any website these days and there are no updates anymore etc. pp. Wonder what to do with it. Any ideas?

fucking_tragedy 7y ago

Well, if you bought a new iPad mini in 2014, Apple is deprecating your device in this release. Based on previous iPad deprecations, your iPad Air 2 will probably be deprecated within the next two years. Convenience and security wise, you'd want to buy a new device before your old one is made incompatible with new iOS releases.

Fnoord 7y ago

To me the answer seemed obvious, and I wanted to reply "it isn't supported anymore in iOS". To my surprise, this 5 year old tablet of yours is still supported in iOS 12.4.1 [1], and it will also be supported in iPadOS 13 [2]. That's impressive. Which Android tablet from 2014 or 2015 is still supported nowadays? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_Air_2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_Air_2 [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPadOS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPadOS

ocdtrekkie 7y ago
The crazy reality is: major carriers like Verizon still sell iPhone 6S devices today, brand new. So there's an expectation that they have to support a brand new iPhone with iOS upgrades for a significant number of years. And Apple can do it because they only sell a handful of models that have a very common hardware set.
- josephg 7y ago
  The iPhone 6s is still a great phone. I’m using a 6s+ to write this, and with a new battery it still feels new and responsive, especially after the optimizations Apple made in iOS a couple years back. This phone is 5 years old now. With each new iPhone release I look for excuses to spend the money and upgrade, and I still can’t see any reason to do so. I mean, those new cameras and faceid looks great but touchid is fine and I’m not a photographer. I feel torn on the price of new iPhones - on one hand, spending so much makes it harder to justify the incremental upgrades. And on the other hand, after my experience with the 6s+ I’ll expect my next iphone to last at least 5-6 years as well, so forking out that much money for a smartphone doesn’t seem so crazy any more.
  - ocdtrekkie 7y ago
    Yeah, part of me says, hey, buy the newest phone, and keep it five or six years. Though the other part says, if iPhone 7 is are free on contract right now. Get that, and in two years get an iphone XR or whatever for free on contract, etc. Because then I get that fresh new battery every couple years, and spend a lot less money on having that shiny new top-of-the-line-ness that wears off shortly anyways.

hrktb 7y ago

As someone planning on upgrading a kid’s device, better performance: you never have any, we get tons, in particular when multitasking. I confess I am used to the 13” pro so I am more sensible to the glitches perhaps. Touch ID is a real QOL improvement. A better camera is actually nice, I don’t understand people making fun of it. All in all I think there’s a ton to love in this new version. That doesn’t make older ones obsolete, but it’s significantly better I think.

landcoctos 7y ago

I have an Air 2 as well but my screen is cracked. The glued glass/display is great however the cost to repair is nearly equal to what I paid (on sale). The current ipad does not have a similar display setup.

breakbread 7y ago

I recently inherited a gen1 iPad Pro (9.7in) and did not realize the Pro models were originally released in 2015/2016. I can see it being relevant for quite a while, especially considering I don't use it for anything "Pro" in nature.

AdrianB1 7y ago

I have an even older iPad 4 since 2012; I use it for a single purpose, flying (LSA planes) with a specific app that has no comparable (good enough) version for Android. I will not upgrade until the app will no longer work, I guess you will do the same.

pfranz 7y ago

My wife has an iPad Air 2. The screen cracked over the years (it's mostly our 3yo's now--the source of the cracks). I went to get the screen repaired and was quoted at $169 (because the screen was "a one-off" for Apple) other devices were quoted closer to $99. The battery life isn't the best anymore, either. If you're playing videos and using basic apps, it still works great. My wife likes to use Garage Band to jot down ideas and over the years it has gotten a bit sluggish. She also really likes the keyboard case on the newer iPads. If it wasn't for Garage Band she'd probably get a Surface. If you're happy with what you have, keep on using it.

kayoone 7y ago

This is the lowest end iPad for students and people who just want a basic tablet, it's also only $320. It has the CPU out of the iPhone 7 and pencil and keyboard support. I own the previous 2018 one and combined with the pencil it's a pretty great tablet for a good price. Used it a lot for note taking in the past and to control media around the house.

Tepix 7y ago

I upgraded from the iPad Air 2 to the iPad Air 3. Performance is better (mostly noticeable when upgrading apps), the display is slightly larger, which is nice.

ianamartin 7y ago

I have the exact same iPad. It's a stretch to say it has no performance issues. It's sluggish, at best. It's not so bad that I'm ready to buy a new one. But it's slow, it's memory constrained. It is damn impressive though. Many laptops don't have a working life near this long before they become unusably slow.

grepthisab 7y ago

Same boat here, I got an iPad Air (first gen) refurbished many years ago. Still works great, and I used it this morning. Showing no signs of not working properly, unlike old iPhones seem to do when they're dated. I like the new ones, but I can't imagine spending money on one in my current situation.