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I was gifted an iDevice but sold it recently as Apple stopped supporting it. Having spent years bringing all PCs back to life with Linux all I could do was thin

I was gifted an iDevice but sold it recently as Apple stopped supporting it. Having spent years bringing all PCs back to life with Linux all I could do was think what a waste of hardware! I agree totally with ipadlinux.org! > Obsolete iPads could be affordable personal computers and useful for project builds. We believe Linux is the key to bring new life to these devices. Looking forward!

darren_ 6y ago
This is one place where apple’s ban on alternative browser engines really hurts users, IMO. I’d be pretty comfy using an old iPad that was out of security support, _if_ it had an up to date browser. But since browser engine updates are tied to OS, there’s no way for obsoleted iPads to keep being safely used as cheap browsing machines. in this sense it might even be possible that using an outdated android is safer, if you’re just browsing and you’ve got an up to date browser.
Eric_WVGG 6y ago
I’ve been hoping to see a project like this surface for vintage iPhones. Even devices going back to the iPhone 4S are absurdly fast in a way, great networking, would make fine brains for robots and all sorts of devices. It’s a pity that so many disappear from the world in one way or another.
- torgian 6y ago
  I actually still have a 5s that I barely used due to country zone restrictions at the time. It would be cool to unlock this and get this running on a Linux os
judge2020 6y ago
What iDevice? The iPad air 2 from 2014 is supported on iPadOS 14 [0] and iOS 14 goes back to the iPhone 6s from 2015 [1]. Even though older devices "aren't supported", Apple still might release an essential update for older iOS like they did with 13.7 [2], 12.4.9 [3], and 10.3.4/9.3.6[4]. 0: https://www.apple.com/ipados/ipados-14/#content-toggle-spatial-audio:~:text=iPadOS%20is%20compatible%20with%20these%20devices https://www.apple.com/ipados/ipados-14/#content-toggle-spati... 1: https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-14/#content-toggle-fast-loading:~:text=iOS%2014%20is%20compatible%20with%20these%20devices https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-14/#content-toggle-fast-loadin... 2: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210393#137 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210393#137 3: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211940 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211940 4: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210239 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210239
- Macha 6y ago
  6 years is generous in the mobile hardware space, but when compared to traditional PC hardware, which the iPad is increasingly competing against, it is very disappointing for a piece of hardware to be out of luck after 6 years. On Windows, any Windows 7/8/8.1 users got a free upgrade to Windows 10, and the minimum requirements for Windows 10 are the same as Windows 7 (other than for disk space, Windows 10 requires less). So that's any Windows PC in the last 11 years can still get an OS with security updates. And of course, you can always install Linux on a Windows PC. The Apple side doesn't go quite as far back, but still most 2012 macs can install Catalina which will be supported until 2022. And Linux is pretty well supported on the non-T2 macs (pre-2015) as well.
  - vlozko 6y ago
    PCs didn’t have as long of life in the 90’s to the early 2000’s, either. In 2008 only 33% of PCs were over 3 years old. Today it’s over 60% (haven’t found a more exact statistic). iPads were going through a similar maturing process and rapidly iterating on performance and features. It’s why I can accept the notion of hardware being obsolete sooner when being an early adopter. The big thing that makes really old iPads not worthwhile to reuse is the battery. It often becomes cost ineffective to replace them. I’m looking at my 9.7” Pro with a cracked corner of its screen. Replacing the battery will damage the screen more causing a replacement for that, too. PCs don’t have the same expectation of parts wearing out - many easily can run 10 years with no hardware maintenance.
    - AnthonyMouse 6y ago
      That's not taking into account how older machines are typically used though. Yes, you can install the latest Windows on a 1.6GHz dual core PC from 2006, but it's not going to make a great PC. On the other hand, it makes a fine host for a NAS device or some other home server, or a router/firewall, or a media PC to hook up to the TV etc. An iPad or iPhone would do much of the same, and in some ways better or for different uses. It uses less power. It could be used as an in-wall display. It could be a WiFi repeater, or an access point given a USB ethernet adapter. People are creative, if you give them the chance. And none of those things really care if the battery is flat.
criddell 6y ago
There are third party repair places that may be able to fix your iPad for you although if it's the digitizer or screen, it may cost more to fix than the iPad is worth.
- codebje 6y ago
  A new iPad is around AU$500, a replacement LCD is around $35, a replacement digitiser around $25, and the tool set around $15. The expensive part is labour. If you're willing to risk some time and money on failure you can have a go yourself, there are excellent guides online. I have an iPad 2 that I bought new long ago and have since given to my young children. Unsurprisingly one of them dropped it and the screen stopped working. I ordered the kit, opened it up, and reseated the LCD. Would have gone flawlessly if I'd been more careful while opening it up, as it stands I now need to replace the digitiser, but it's still much cheaper than a new tablet, especially while my elder daughter is in a phase of thinking she is smarter than us and can ignore warnings like "if you balance that on your knees it will fall off and break."
  - jtbayly 6y ago
    That's a new iPad, not the iPad under discussion, which is worth much less. You can often buy a replacement out-dated model for around that $75 mark, and that's ignoring the time cost of trying to fix the broken one.
    - codebje 6y ago
      This is true, but I also attach some value to avoiding the electronic waste of throwing out an iPad with mostly working parts.
simonh 6y ago
Even if you don’t get new OS versions, you still get OS patches and security update for several more years. Also the App Store still seems to support devices seemingly forever. I was still able to download apps on my iPhone 3G seven years after I bought it. In terms of useful working life, these things are incredible.
- DaiPlusPlus 6y ago
  Unfortunately you can’t download apps that the publisher removed from the store (EA Games, looking at you) even if you paid for them. If you don’t backup the IPAs (and/or don’t have a way to install them...) then you’re stuck. At least you can get a refund from Apple if you can find your iTunes/App Store purchase receipt.
  - sjg007 6y ago
    Why do you need a receipt? Seems like Apple would have all of that information..
    - DaiPlusPlus 6y ago
      No idea! But when I asked for a refund for my purchase of the iPad version of C&C Red Alert 3 (which I bought from the App Store around 2012) after EA pulled it around 2015 I contacted iOS App Store customer support who told me to forward them a copy of my App Store purchase receipt e-mail to get a refund.

darren_ 6y ago

This is one place where apple’s ban on alternative browser engines really hurts users, IMO. I’d be pretty comfy using an old iPad that was out of security support, _if_ it had an up to date browser. But since browser engine updates are tied to OS, there’s no way for obsoleted iPads to keep being safely used as cheap browsing machines. in this sense it might even be possible that using an outdated android is safer, if you’re just browsing and you’ve got an up to date browser.

Eric_WVGG 6y ago

I’ve been hoping to see a project like this surface for vintage iPhones. Even devices going back to the iPhone 4S are absurdly fast in a way, great networking, would make fine brains for robots and all sorts of devices. It’s a pity that so many disappear from the world in one way or another.

torgian 6y ago
I actually still have a 5s that I barely used due to country zone restrictions at the time. It would be cool to unlock this and get this running on a Linux os

judge2020 6y ago

What iDevice? The iPad air 2 from 2014 is supported on iPadOS 14 [0] and iOS 14 goes back to the iPhone 6s from 2015 [1]. Even though older devices "aren't supported", Apple still might release an essential update for older iOS like they did with 13.7 [2], 12.4.9 [3], and 10.3.4/9.3.6[4]. 0: https://www.apple.com/ipados/ipados-14/#content-toggle-spatial-audio:~:text=iPadOS%20is%20compatible%20with%20these%20devices https://www.apple.com/ipados/ipados-14/#content-toggle-spati... 1: https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-14/#content-toggle-fast-loading:~:text=iOS%2014%20is%20compatible%20with%20these%20devices https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-14/#content-toggle-fast-loadin... 2: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210393#137 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210393#137 3: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211940 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211940 4: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210239 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210239

Macha 6y ago
6 years is generous in the mobile hardware space, but when compared to traditional PC hardware, which the iPad is increasingly competing against, it is very disappointing for a piece of hardware to be out of luck after 6 years. On Windows, any Windows 7/8/8.1 users got a free upgrade to Windows 10, and the minimum requirements for Windows 10 are the same as Windows 7 (other than for disk space, Windows 10 requires less). So that's any Windows PC in the last 11 years can still get an OS with security updates. And of course, you can always install Linux on a Windows PC. The Apple side doesn't go quite as far back, but still most 2012 macs can install Catalina which will be supported until 2022. And Linux is pretty well supported on the non-T2 macs (pre-2015) as well.
- vlozko 6y ago
  PCs didn’t have as long of life in the 90’s to the early 2000’s, either. In 2008 only 33% of PCs were over 3 years old. Today it’s over 60% (haven’t found a more exact statistic). iPads were going through a similar maturing process and rapidly iterating on performance and features. It’s why I can accept the notion of hardware being obsolete sooner when being an early adopter. The big thing that makes really old iPads not worthwhile to reuse is the battery. It often becomes cost ineffective to replace them. I’m looking at my 9.7” Pro with a cracked corner of its screen. Replacing the battery will damage the screen more causing a replacement for that, too. PCs don’t have the same expectation of parts wearing out - many easily can run 10 years with no hardware maintenance.
  - AnthonyMouse 6y ago
    That's not taking into account how older machines are typically used though. Yes, you can install the latest Windows on a 1.6GHz dual core PC from 2006, but it's not going to make a great PC. On the other hand, it makes a fine host for a NAS device or some other home server, or a router/firewall, or a media PC to hook up to the TV etc. An iPad or iPhone would do much of the same, and in some ways better or for different uses. It uses less power. It could be used as an in-wall display. It could be a WiFi repeater, or an access point given a USB ethernet adapter. People are creative, if you give them the chance. And none of those things really care if the battery is flat.

criddell 6y ago

There are third party repair places that may be able to fix your iPad for you although if it's the digitizer or screen, it may cost more to fix than the iPad is worth.

codebje 6y ago
A new iPad is around AU$500, a replacement LCD is around $35, a replacement digitiser around $25, and the tool set around $15. The expensive part is labour. If you're willing to risk some time and money on failure you can have a go yourself, there are excellent guides online. I have an iPad 2 that I bought new long ago and have since given to my young children. Unsurprisingly one of them dropped it and the screen stopped working. I ordered the kit, opened it up, and reseated the LCD. Would have gone flawlessly if I'd been more careful while opening it up, as it stands I now need to replace the digitiser, but it's still much cheaper than a new tablet, especially while my elder daughter is in a phase of thinking she is smarter than us and can ignore warnings like "if you balance that on your knees it will fall off and break."
- jtbayly 6y ago
  That's a new iPad, not the iPad under discussion, which is worth much less. You can often buy a replacement out-dated model for around that $75 mark, and that's ignoring the time cost of trying to fix the broken one.
  - codebje 6y ago
    This is true, but I also attach some value to avoiding the electronic waste of throwing out an iPad with mostly working parts.

simonh 6y ago

Even if you don’t get new OS versions, you still get OS patches and security update for several more years. Also the App Store still seems to support devices seemingly forever. I was still able to download apps on my iPhone 3G seven years after I bought it. In terms of useful working life, these things are incredible.

DaiPlusPlus 6y ago
Unfortunately you can’t download apps that the publisher removed from the store (EA Games, looking at you) even if you paid for them. If you don’t backup the IPAs (and/or don’t have a way to install them...) then you’re stuck. At least you can get a refund from Apple if you can find your iTunes/App Store purchase receipt.
- sjg007 6y ago
  Why do you need a receipt? Seems like Apple would have all of that information..
  - DaiPlusPlus 6y ago
    No idea! But when I asked for a refund for my purchase of the iPad version of C&C Red Alert 3 (which I bought from the App Store around 2012) after EA pulled it around 2015 I contacted iOS App Store customer support who told me to forward them a copy of my App Store purchase receipt e-mail to get a refund.