Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad How long will the iPad last
- Thread starter pete525
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Internaut
macrumors 65816
I can't remember when we bought our iPad 2, but it wasn't too long after the device hit the stores. It still works pretty much as well as the day we first used it.
My Ipad 2 is now almost 9 months old. Still good as new and i only charge it every 3-4 days so battery should last me like 4-5 years i think.
When my battery go bad, i would go to Apple to pay for replacement and probably get Ipad 5 or Ipad 6 hahaha.
When my battery go bad, i would go to Apple to pay for replacement and probably get Ipad 5 or Ipad 6 hahaha.
Depends on how long you intend to have all iOS functionality supported. For reasons I don't know, multitasking gestures are not supported on the original iPad. Another example: I have iOS 6 on my iPad 2 but Siri is not supported. It has the same internals as my wife's iPad mini, which does have Siri. Apple may decide on a whim what new functionality you should be allowed, and the decision is not always based on hardware limitations.
Conclusion: Anything between 1.5 and 5 years.
After 1-2 years, your iPad might be excluded from new functionality in iOS.
After 3-5 years, there are more and more apps that you can no longer upgrade nor reinstall.
After 5 years, you'll probably have to replace the battery.
Conclusion: Anything between 1.5 and 5 years.
After 1-2 years, your iPad might be excluded from new functionality in iOS.
After 3-5 years, there are more and more apps that you can no longer upgrade nor reinstall.
After 5 years, you'll probably have to replace the battery.
We've passed our original iPad down to our son (it was purchased on release day 3 years back)---works great, battery is fine (lasts at least 8 hours with his 'workflow' 
). My wife is still using her iPad 2, also purchased on release...perfect condition. Other than earlier mentioned hardware/software limitations as time marches on....they will last a good three years if you take care of them. I think they're still just as 'fast' as they were out of the box---but back then, we didn't have the A6x processor equipped iPad 4 to compare them too!
Well built these iPads are, for sure. I'm surprised as well at how long the batteries are still lasting (on iPad original and iPad 2).
J
). My wife is still using her iPad 2, also purchased on release...perfect condition. Other than earlier mentioned hardware/software limitations as time marches on....they will last a good three years if you take care of them. I think they're still just as 'fast' as they were out of the box---but back then, we didn't have the A6x processor equipped iPad 4 to compare them too!Well built these iPads are, for sure. I'm surprised as well at how long the batteries are still lasting (on iPad original and iPad 2).
J
Last edited:
I have multitasking gestures on my first generation iPad. I think it was excluded from the first generation in iOS 5, and then added in 5.1, or something like that.
My wife's iPad 1 is becoming useless. It's super slow, constantly crashes when using safari and some of the apps require the latest iOS version. You can only support electronic gadgets for so long before you harm the experience. If you think about it there is only a 1 year difference between iPad 1 and 2 (plus the mini). I don't see a refreshed iOS 7 running any smoother on old hardware.
That's why I don't understand why people want this version of the iPad mini. It's already 2 year old tech and it appears that Apple is not interested in giving it the latest and greatest compared to the full size.
If it was my choice I would wait until iPad 5. None of this iPad mini and iPad 2 business.
That's why I don't understand why people want this version of the iPad mini. It's already 2 year old tech and it appears that Apple is not interested in giving it the latest and greatest compared to the full size.
If it was my choice I would wait until iPad 5. None of this iPad mini and iPad 2 business.
I'm looking to have my iPad mini last at least two years. I strongly believe it's got enough in the tank to make this happen!
Original iPad here, will be three years old in two months, going very strong, many hours business use every day. To the poster whose wife's keeps crashing you should try this. Back it up and do a factory restore. Then when the system restore finishes select the last back up to complete the restore with your apps and data. I suspect that the problem is the data gets very fragmented after a while in the flash memory from all of the deletes and adds and updates, etc. When you do the restore it puts everything back in neat order and the flash memory doesn't have to work as hard to find what it needs. Just a guess but seems logical. At least it fixed mine when that was happening.
I've purchased each release on or shortly after the release date. Since I have given the past one to family members, I know that the iPad 1 is just as good as it was when initially purchased. All of my old iPads are used daily by family and are running just fine.
Base on my iPod Touch (3rd gen) which is over 4 years old, I'd say iPads will last 4 or 5 years at least. And based on how my iPad is doing so far, I see no reason for an iPad lasting 5 years at least. The only issue might be that you need a new battery after that long.
Of course as someone else stated you will start having issues around iOS and app updates no longer being available after a while.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Planned obsolescence. Under-speccing is a great way to drive upgrades next year (like leaving the front-facing camera out of a very mobile device in gen 1). Then, just build features that beg for higher specs and you get to sell the new one even when the old one still works fine. If that doesn't motivate enough prior generation owners to upgrade, add a feature or two that requires the new one (even though through hacks such features can run just fine on the old one).
The focus seems to be increasingly on how often can we ding a credit card vs. building something with great consumer value (such as long-term legs). Notice the recent trend in professional software trying to go the subscription-only model. Same kind of thing.
We're probably heading for a point similar to big pharma working the one-a-day treatment: ding the credit card once-per-day to use our toys. Pharma just has the stronger punch of fear: fail to take the treatment once per day and you might die.
Then again, around here, fail to buy an Apple upgrade and you might die too.
It depends on what you mean, if you mean tech wise then the device should easily last 2 to 3 years as the battery and internal components stay working throughout its use. But Apple releases alot of changes and updates for its devices (in terms of software) so your device can become obsolete in these terms quite quickly
Hey, I'm still using the iPad 1, which I bought the first week it came out. I don't really care if I have Siri on it or not, the things I do with it (Pages, various photo software, music, Youtube, reading the newspaper) still work fine.
So they last quite well. I think physically the limiting factor is probably the battery, mine is still going strong, YMMV. The other limiting factor would be whether you'll need whatever additional functionality that comes out 2-3 years down the road and whether the iPad you buy now will still be compatible with it.
So they last quite well. I think physically the limiting factor is probably the battery, mine is still going strong, YMMV. The other limiting factor would be whether you'll need whatever additional functionality that comes out 2-3 years down the road and whether the iPad you buy now will still be compatible with it.
I gutted the crap of my device. Killed messaging services, iCloud, Photo Stream, Email push, etc. and now I'm getting one week per cycle. Say there are 1,000 cycles on an average Lithium battery, that's 1,000 weeks divided by 52 which would be about 19 years! Muahahaha! And no, I did not do that calculation in my head.
Seriously, I wouldn't worry about it. You are more likely to get bored with the device than be forced to replace it.
Seriously, I wouldn't worry about it. You are more likely to get bored with the device than be forced to replace it.
The longevity of the hardware for iPad will be hard to measure. Really the iPad 1st gen has been out just now 3 years, 1 month. The iPad 2 has been out 2 years and 2 months and the 3/4 just came out last year.
It's hard to say how the iPad will be 5 years after purchase, but going on some of my family and friend's that still have their first gen iPad, I can say that they seem to be working like champs. Not a one complaint about poor battery life 3 years on and the only real complaints I hear is the lack of memory pulls down the performance of the iOS / apps.
It's hard to say how the iPad will be 5 years after purchase, but going on some of my family and friend's that still have their first gen iPad, I can say that they seem to be working like champs. Not a one complaint about poor battery life 3 years on and the only real complaints I hear is the lack of memory pulls down the performance of the iOS / apps.
I bought iPad 2 10 months ago and I still love it. I am glad I didn't buy 3 or 4 because it si bit heavy for my taste and too warm to hold with bare hand. 
Really? So, on my iPad 1, when I swipe up with four fingers to see the app controls, or pinch with five fingers to close an app, what is that known as?