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Jordan246

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 8, 2014
226
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Hi i have a 1st gen ipad mini and mine runs ios 8.1.2 pretty well do any of you guys think the iPad mini 1st gen will get ios 9
 
Hi i have a 1st gen ipad mini and mine runs ios 8.1.2 pretty well do any of you guys think the iPad mini 1st gen will get ios 9
There's no reason to expect otherwise, as there is no fundamental difference between the iPad mini generations that would prevent a new release from running on all versions. Also, there's no poll on this thread, but you don't need a poll to figure this out.
 
There's no reason to expect otherwise, as there is no fundamental difference between the iPad mini generations that would prevent a new release from running on all versions. Also, there's no poll on this thread, but you don't need a poll to figure this out.

There is no difference between the iPad mini 3 and 2 but there is a difference between the original iPad mini and the 2 and 3. The original iPad mini has the A5 chip (2011) and the 2 and 3 have the A7 chip (2013). Remember not only is the A7 two generations ahead but it is a 64 bit chip. The mini 2 and 3 also have retina displays and the mini 3 has Touch ID. However I think it will be the processor in the original mini that may exclude it from ios9.
 
Pretty sure iOS 9 will be such a memory hog that 512 MB RAM devices would be cut off completely from update cycle.

It wont add any useful features worthy of making a move to 1 GB RAM. But iOS will continue to be buggy and unoptimized.
 
In general Apple tend to support an iOS device for one generation after they stop selling it. The original iPad mini is still being sold, so I would expect it to be updated to iOS 9. Although I don't expect it to run very well.
 
The more features you add to a iDevice the slower they become over time. I don't even know why Apple is set on upgrading old tech (iPad mini = iPad 2 = March 2011). Just look at Engadget's review for the iPad 2.

PROS:
Amazingly thin
Extremely fast
Cameras finally added

Now look at the iPad Air 2 review.

PROS:
Beautiful, thin aluminum design
Incredibly powerful A8X chip
Touch ID included
Upgraded camera


I think we can all agree that 2011 Extremely fast vs 2014 Incredibly powerful both sound great but when comparing technology it makes a world of difference. Do you really want to upgrade old tech for a crappy experience? Sometimes it's better to stay at older software or face a crappy experience. Or just upgrade. A Retina Mini is still a good device.
 
There is 100% chance that the iPad mini, and all other A5 chip devices, will get iOS 9. iOS 9 will be an update with much optimization and improved performance. 62% of iPad usage is accomplished on A5 chip devices such as the iPad mini. There is 0% chance Apple will not provide iOS 9 and alienate 62% of its iPad users. In short, there is no way Apple will want to announce that most of its iPad users cannot install iOS 9.
 
There is 100% chance that the iPad mini, and all other A5 chip devices, will get iOS 9. iOS 9 will be an update with much optimization and improved performance. 62% of iPad usage is accomplished on A5 chip devices such as the iPad mini. There is 0% chance Apple will not provide iOS 9 and alienate 62% of its iPad users. In short, there is no way Apple will want to announce that most of its iPad users cannot install iOS 9.

Or they will to entice people to upgrade iPads given that iPad sales aren't exactly through the roof recently
 
I really believe IOS 9 will take into account that the ipad Air 2 (and most likely the new iphones) will all be on 2gb RAM. I unfortunately think this means any device with 512 of RAM will be left out.

If they are included in the update, it will be a very watered down version.
 
There's no reason to expect otherwise, as there is no fundamental difference between the iPad mini generations that would prevent a new release from running on all versions. Also, there's no poll on this thread, but you don't need a poll to figure this out.

I think you must be thinking of the 2nd and 3rd gen Minis. The 1st has the internals of the iPad 2, while the 2nd gen has the internals of an iPad Air. Basically there was a three generation jump between the first two Mini models.
 
Or they will to entice people to upgrade iPads given that iPad sales aren't exactly through the roof recently

Apple is doing everything they can to entice them to buy new iPads. For the iPad Air 2, they threw in everything but the kitchen sink. And Apple's thinner, much improved iPad mini upgrade was not ready for prime time last year.

Apple will try to entice older iPad users even more with software this year, with an iOS update that will allow two programs open side by side.

I really believe IOS 9 will take into account that the ipad Air 2 (and most likely the new iphones) will all be on 2gb RAM. I unfortunately think this means any device with 512 of RAM will be left out.

If they are included in the update, it will be a very watered down version.

iOS 9 will indeed take in to account that the iPad Air 2 has 2GB RAM. With the iPad Air 2's three cores and 2GB RAM, it will run two programs side by side very well, much better than older iPads. And the iPhones with 2GB RAM? They will be able to hold more than ~3 safari tabs open.

And iOS 9 will also take in to account the majority of iPad users. Who happen to be on A5 devices. iPads have a long upgrade cycle, and Apple is doing everything it can to make this cycle shorter. But right now, Apple won't leave the majority of its customers in the cold. Apple has never done this.
 
Hi i have a 1st gen ipad mini and mine runs ios 8.1.2 pretty well do any of you guys think the iPad mini 1st gen will get ios 9

I'd highly doubt it. Though if they were to get any A5 device to iOS 9, it'd probably be the first generation iPad mini. Apple has had to take extra effort to keep the A5-based devices supported which usually means that the technologies roadmap for iOS eschews support for it. Apple needs to drop support for older technologies from time to time so that they can more easily fit in newer ones.

Also, the A5 stuff runs iOS 8 fairly sluggishly. It's still usable, but the experience is markedly depreciated from iOS 6 and that's not going to improve drastically enough for it to matter, let alone at all.

There's no reason to expect otherwise, as there is no fundamental difference between the iPad mini generations that would prevent a new release from running on all versions. Also, there's no poll on this thread, but you don't need a poll to figure this out.

A5 to A7 is a HUGE difference. Not sure where you got that info. Yes, the third generation mini and the second generation mini are more or less the same product, but that doesn't mean that the differences between the first and the second mini aren't huge, because they totally are.

There is no difference between the iPad mini 3 and 2

The increase in GPU power in the cancels out the additional graphics power needed for retina, and the A5 cores in the A5X are otherwise the same as the ones in the iPad 2. But make no mistake, the 1GB of RAM makes the difference.

but there is a difference between the original iPad mini and the 2 and 3. The original iPad mini has the A5 chip (2011) and the 2 and 3 have the A7 chip (2013). Remember not only is the A7 two generations ahead but it is a 64 bit chip. The mini 2 and 3 also have retina displays and the mini 3 has Touch ID. However I think it will be the processor in the original mini that may exclude it from ios9.

Exactly.

They are focusing a lot of the iOS 8 updates to the A5, so maybe not.

It handles more than it should at this point though.

Typically focus on the oldest hardware is done to make it so that they are running what-will-be their last iOS version more gracefully. Apple, at that point, typically has to fork development as there are often features down the road that require processor features that the A5 simply lacks.

While it can be mistaken for extra attention for the future, it's usually so they make good on their original promise for the device to run that version of iOS properly, lest they repeat the experience of iOS 4.0-4.2.1 on the iPhone 3GS and second generation iPod touch.

In general Apple tend to support an iOS device for one generation after they stop selling it. The original iPad mini is still being sold, so I would expect it to be updated to iOS 9. Although I don't expect it to run very well.

They've broken this trend before. It's not out of the realm of possibility that they will do so again here.

Apple is doing everything they can to entice them to buy new iPads. For the iPad Air 2, they threw in everything but the kitchen sink. And Apple's thinner, much improved iPad mini upgrade was not ready for prime time last year.

Please tell me you have actual evidence of this. It seems unlikely, especially given the state of the 7.0-8.4" Tablet market at large, but I'd love to see more than just speculation hinting toward this.

Apple will try to entice older iPad users even more with software this year, with an iOS update that will allow two programs open side by side.

Again, proof? You seem so certain when this hasn't been verified by anyone outside of Apple.


iOS 9 will indeed take in to account that the iPad Air 2 has 2GB RAM. With the iPad Air 2's three cores and 2GB RAM, it will run two programs side by side very well, much better than older iPads. And the iPhones with 2GB RAM? They will be able to hold more than ~3 safari tabs open.

And iOS 9 will also take in to account the majority of iPad users. Who happen to be on A5 devices. iPads have a long upgrade cycle, and Apple is doing everything it can to make this cycle shorter. But right now, Apple won't leave the majority of its customers in the cold. Apple has never done this.


Sure they have. PowerPC customers were left out in the cold only three years after PowerPC machines stopped being sold.

Also, I'd like to see some kind of proof that the majority of iPad users are CURRENTLY on A5 devices. I could see a fair number of first generation iPad users, but it seems as though iPad 2 and 3 ownership is starting to decline this year as people upgrade to one of the two iPad Air models.
 
Pretty sure iOS 9 will be such a memory hog that 512 MB RAM devices would be cut off completely from update cycle.

It wont add any useful features worthy of making a move to 1 GB RAM. But iOS will continue to be buggy and unoptimized.

Are you sure you aren't talking about Android?
 
Are you sure you aren't talking about Android?

Android is highly optimized these days

Straight from my Moto X on Android 5.0


aLWD5Jo.png


As for A5 devices geting iOS 9, who knows. My thoughts though, the iPhone 4s, iPod touch 5, and iPad 2 get dropped, along with the OG mini I would think. But that may not mean ALL A5 devices get dropped. Specifically thinking of the Apple TV and iPad 3. The iPad 3 has 1GB RAM, and reminds me of the iPhone 4 getting iOS 7. The iPad and iPod touch had the A4 chip like the iPhone 4. Same CPU, same GPU, but only half the RAM of the iPhone and I think that was why it got iOS 7, though I think it might have been better off if it didn't. Plus they still sell the Apple TV and haven't had a successor, it also doesn't have the same requirements since it runs a minimal interface and doesn't have apps to run other than ones Apple has made for it.

I would love to be surprised and have iOS 9 be a refinement of iOS 7/8 and streamline it for older devices. But that's just not the Apple I've seen since, oh, 2011 or so. I'd love the "Snow Leopard of iOS", but I don't think we'll see it.

Unless something changes though, I don't think most A5 devices will get iOS 9. I have an iPhone 4s as a spare phone I inherited and it runs "OK" but it's noticeably slower than iOS 6 and 7.1 were on it. Even the translucency effects in the control center drop frames where iOS 7 didn't.

The iPad 2 and 3 don't even get translucency. Which is funny because the mini does and the iPad 2 doesn't when they're the same chip and same screen res. :rolleyes:
 
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Android is highly optimized these days

Not really. We have a couple Note 3 and 4's at the office, that I have had the displeasure of setting up and troubleshooting, and they are laggy and full of bloatware. And still can't match the touchscreen accuracy of iOS devices. Always at least a frame or two behind in responsiveness.

That's why I referred the iPad Mini experience as "android level", i.e it sucks.
 
Not really. We have a couple Note 3 and 4's at the office, that I have had the displeasure of setting up and troubleshooting, and they are laggy and full of bloatware. And still can't match the touchscreen accuracy of iOS devices. Always at least a frame or two behind in responsiveness.

That's why I referred the iPad Mini experience as "android level", i.e it sucks.

The blame should go squarely at Samsung. I have owned several Samsung tablets in the past and they are laggy and full of bloatware although the bloat has been reduced.

I have an LG Pad 8.3 GPE and it's just as fast running Lollipop as it was KitKat with NO lag or bloat.
 
In general Apple tend to support an iOS device for one generation after they stop selling it. The original iPad mini is still being sold, so I would expect it to be updated to iOS 9. Although I don't expect it to run very well.

Apple is no longer being selling the iPad mini (except for refurbished units). They quietly stopped selling it about three to four months ago.
 
It was being sold nine months ago when I wrote that.

*blush*

Next time I'll remember to check the date of a post before replying. Still, the way Apple dropped the original mini surprised me. It wasn't until a couple weeks ago or so ago I realized it was gone. I would have thought they would have dropped it back when the iPad mini 3 came out.
 
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