iPad: Is the iPad 2 getting dated?

[Raysofhope]

Now with the recent release of the New ipad '4' what do you think, is it worth to buy an iPad 2, 2nd hand at a very cheap price? or it will happen the same as the ipad 1 and in a few months will be obsolet?

[newwavedave]

It's good for another year.

[Macman45]

Originally Posted by Raysofhope

Now with the recent release of the New ipad '4' what do you think, is it worth to buy an iPad 2, 2nd hand at a very cheap price? or it will happen the same as the ipad 1 and in a few months will be obsolet?

With Apple still selling them, something I didn't understand until I got my 4, I'd say it's still a good budget entry iPad....Remember that certain higher functions of IOS like Siri, wil not work on the 2, but it's still a perfectly useable device. If you are feeeling left behind...I have a buddy who is happily still using his ipad 1

[Chupa Chupa]

Originally Posted by Raysofhope

Now with the recent release of the New ipad '4' what do you think, is it worth to buy an iPad 2, 2nd hand at a very cheap price? or it will happen the same as the ipad 1 and in a few months will be obsolet?

What's cheap?

iPad 2 won't be obsolete per se for at least a couple years thanks to the mini. It will be eligible for a few more iOS updates. But in my eyes the reasons to buy a 2 has dropped considerably since the mini was announced. I was shocked Apple kept it on the menu.

[Macman45]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

What's cheap?

iPad 2 won't be obsolete per se for at least a couple years thanks to the mini. It will be eligible for a few more iOS updates. But in my eyes the reasons to buy a 2 has dropped considerably since the mini was announced. I was shocked Apple kept it on the menu.

Me too....Until I got my 4...Apple dropped the 3 because the 4 just leaves it standing, and continuing to sell it would have filled these and other boards with a huge amount of "Rip Off" comments, and they'd be right too. The 4 is what the 3 SHOULD have been, and Apple know it. Leaving the 2 on sale makes sense if the pricing is right. It's still very useable, and as you point out is eligible for a couple more IOS bumps yet. I guess we don't all need the new features of the latest all singing and dancing device. My 4 wound up costing me £128...Not bad for 7 months use. Had I not been able to recoup that investment I would have thought twice about buying the 4...And then I would have bought it anyway..

[adztaylor]

I have an iPad 2. Still works great and happy to keep it for another revision. Having said that if I didn't have an iPad and was looking to buy I wouldn't buy it now. I agree with the others above the iPad Minis specs looks like Apple won't be making it obsolete just yet.

Waiting for next gen iPad Mini.

[Raysofhope]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

What's cheap?

iPad 2 won't be obsolete per se for at least a couple years thanks to the mini. .

why is this?

[iDutchman]

Originally Posted by Raysofhope

why is this?

Because they share their internals.

[Chupa Chupa]

Originally Posted by Raysofhope

why is this?

Because the mini is essentially a shunken iPad 2. Apple isn't going to stop supporting a product only a year after release. So future iOS upgrades are pretty much assured for at least another 2 years.

[iLLUMI]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

iPad 2 won't be obsolete per se for at least a couple years...

Absolutely! Agreed!
iPad's etc don't really become obsolete per se because as we've seen so far it's the iOS updates and apps that will cause this to happen.

But if you're comparing the iPad 2 specs to iPad 4 then yes, the iPad 4 is more advanced, however it doesnt make the iPad 2 any less a usable product.
I bought an iPad 2 back in August only because my iPad 1 was so slow and apps crashing all the time. I would say the iPad 1 is obsolete because it can't handle the updated apps etc. However iPad 2 handles everything really well. I've not had any issues with it.

I've said this in many a thread, if you're thinking of getting an iPad 2 and arent too fussed about Retina display etc, then go for it. But make sure you get the refreshed iPad 2 (iPad2,4) with the 35nm CPU which gives you 11.7 hrs battery life. That's the one I bought and very happy with it.

[nfl46]

Its still functional and works fine.

[Awakener]

Originally Posted by Chupa Chupa

Because the mini is essentially a shunken iPad 2. Apple isn't going to stop supporting a product only a year after release. So future iOS upgrades are pretty much assured for at least another 2 years.

Depends what is meant by "stop supporting." Already there are some features (like Siri) supported for Mini but not iPad 2. Whether that is planned obsolesence or internal differences only Apple knows but result is the same.

[Chupa Chupa]

Originally Posted by Awakener

Depends what is meant by "stop supporting." Already there are some features (like Siri) supported for Mini but not iPad 2. Whether that is planned obsolesence or internal differences only Apple knows but result is the same.

Siri is technically still in beta. Even the 3 did not support Siri initially. Until Siri is pushed out of beta too soon to suggest iPad 2 will never support Siri.

But to get back to what stop supporting means... It means it compatible with the current version of iOS. IPad 2 will likely qualify for iOS 7 & 8.

[nostresshere]

We have many of the original Ipads in our family and they all work fine. Are they getting dated? No.

[yinz]

iPad 2 is a cheap full sized iPad. It's also the smallest full sized iPad and charges really quickly. It also runs quite cool and has FaceTime function for relatively cheap. The screen is quite nice.

It's great for students, I'd say. If you can get a used one for "cheap", then I'd do it just because it's so practical for reading and surfing the net and to entertain young children (if there are a lot of them in your family).

The fact that it's so small and light for a full sized iPad makes it so worth it. It's also well built and quite reliable. It's not as pretty as the Retina Display iPad, but it's not bad.

I wouldn't say the iPad Mini has made it obsolete. The iPad 2 is a full sized iPad, which is a lot better for students and note taking than the iPad Mini...

[Liquinn]

I'd say no. The iPad 2 isn't dated. As of yet.

[lulla01]

I'd compare the iPad 2 to the iPhone 3GS

[AJsAWiz]

Originally Posted by Awakener

Depends what is meant by "stop supporting." Already there are some features (like Siri) supported for Mini but not iPad 2. Whether that is planned obsolesence or internal differences only Apple knows but result is the same.

I often wondered about that. I recently sold my iPad 2 and got an iPad Mini. As I understand it the iPad Mini has the same processor as the iPad 2 yet the Mini has Siri but the iPad 2 doesn't. Maybe having Siri has more to do with something else, rather than just the processor? The question is what does the iPad Mini have that the iPad 2 doesn't in order to enable Siri?

[RedRaven571]

For the time being, I am perfectly content with my ipad 2; mostly read books and surf the web with it. When Apple stops supporting it, then maybe ill think about a replacement.