iPad Assuming 2GB RAM...is the Air 2 the Longevity Model?

[iceperson]

Each to their own,

iPad 1: First iPad, breakthrough product, good buy
iPad 2: Incremental update, bad buy
iPad 3: First iPad to have Retina screen, good buy
iPad 4: Not compelling enough if you have the 3, bad buy
iPad Air: Substantially lighter and thinner, good buy
iPad Air 2: ??

This thread is about longevity.

The iPad 2 has the same/similar specs to the iPad mini which is still being sold in 2014, so chances are good it'll be getting updates for years.

That iPad 4 gives you continuity which extends its usefulness many times over the 3.

If the Air 2 has 2GB of RAM it will also be getting updates long after the Air has been abandoned...

 

[zhenya]

This thread is about longevity.

The iPad 2 has the same/similar specs to the iPad mini which is still being sold in 2014, so chances are good it'll be getting updates for years.

That iPad 4 gives you continuity which extends its usefulness many times over the 3.

If the Air 2 has 2GB of RAM it will also be getting updates long after the Air has been abandoned...

Given that Apple has shown a commitment to keeping older ipads available for new sale for quite a long time, I don't think there is any real concern about support for older iPad models. The fact is the Air is considerably more powerful than the 4, and it's the Air they continue to sell, not the 4. That alone means that the Air will more than likely receive updates for a longer period of time.

At this point, the Air will have been available to buy new for at least 2 model years more than the 4. Which one do you want to bet will be dropped from updates first?

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

This thread is about longevity.

The iPad 2 has the same/similar specs to the iPad mini which is still being sold in 2014, so chances are good it'll be getting updates for years.

That iPad 4 gives you continuity which extends its usefulness many times over the 3.

If the Air 2 has 2GB of RAM it will also be getting updates long after the Air has been abandoned...

Totally agree, looking back, the iPad 2 was a greta buy and the iPad Air 2 with an A8X CPU and 2GB of RAM is looking like to be the same.

 

[iceperson]

Given that Apple has shown a commitment to keeping older ipads available for new sale for quite a long time, I don't think there is any real concern about support for older iPad models. The fact is the Air is considerably more powerful than the 4, and it's the Air they continue to sell, not the 4. That alone means that the Air will more than likely receive updates for a longer period of time.

At this point, the Air will have been available to buy new for at least 2 model years more than the 4. Which one do you want to bet will be dropped from updates first?

Um, we're talking in pairs, every even number edition has better longevity than their odd number predecessor. Are you even reading what you're replying to?

2 had better longevity than the 1
4 has better longevity than the 3
Air2 will have better longevity than the Air

 

[007p]

I think next year we will largely be looking at a form factor change and an A9, among other small things. And if it gets a higher PPI, therein may lie the crippling of the Air 3 if the processor can't drive a potentially upgraded display.

This won't be a problem.

Even if Apple didn't learn anything from the iPad 3, which I doubt.

The issue with the ipad 3 being crippled was that it didn't get an updated processor over the ipad 2. It just got A5X, so slightly better graphics.

The A8X to A9(X) will be a much bigger upgrade than A5 to A5X was.

 

[zhenya]

Um, we're talking in pairs, every even number edition has better longevity than their odd number predecessor. Are you even reading what you're replying to?

2 had better longevity than the 1
4 has better longevity than the 3
Air2 will have better longevity than the Air

Yeah, but in the real world nobody cares about this arbitrary pairing. You were trying to paint this picture that the 4 was some great buy and the Air was not. I think it's just the opposite.

The bigger picture that is being glossed over here is that, with the exception of the original iPad, EVERY iPad ever made has had great software support for the long run.

 

[iceperson]

Yeah, but in the real world nobody cares about this arbitrary pairing

Sure they do, hence this thread.

You were trying to paint this picture that the 4 was some great buy and the Air was not.

You are the only person here comparing the Air to the 4.

 

[zhenya]

Sure they do, hence this thread.

Read the original post again. You are the one making up this arbitrary pairing based only on the external design of the hardware. If anything, the iPad2 should be paired with the 3 as it shares the same basic internal hardware and 30-pin connector.

You are the only person here comparing the Air to the 4.

No, the original post reads specifically; iPad 4: Good Buy, iPad Air; Bad Buy. Nothing about pairing them.

I think that's a ridiculous supposition for the reasons outlined above.

Even you, in the post I originally quoted, said:

This thread is about longevity.

So which is it?

 

[bob24]

iPad 1: Basically a prototype, bad buy
iPad 2: Much more powerful, lasted a long time, good buy
iPad 3: Too weak to drive the retina screen, bad buy
iPad 4: Plenty of power to drive the retina screen, good buy
iPad Air: 64 Bit but 1 GB of RAM, bad buy
iPad Air 2: A8X + 2 GB of RAM...should be a really good buy that will be for sale well into the future and handle numerous iOS updates?

Thoughts?

To me it looks like you are trying to justify your own purchasing strategy ... not saying it is a bad one, but it certainly is subjective.

I could rewrite:

iPad 1: The original one - there was noting else like it, good buy
iPad 2: Similar performance and display, bad buy
iPad 3: Much better display for a completely different experience, good buy
iPad 4: Same form factor, same display - similar user experience , bad buy
iPad Air: 64 Bit, much smaller and lighter for better user experience, good buy

You will probably think this doesn't make sense, but to someone else who doesn't care much about specs/performance but rather at how comfortable the device is to use it could make perfect sense. Same debate as the S releases for the iPhone.

Personally I think it depends on what people mean by longevity. If it is 2 years I would recommend the non S releases as it means you always have the latest form factor and high visibility changes (retina display, ...) - and honestly no iOS device has ever became crippled within 2 years of its release.
For longer that 2 years I would agree the S releases are better because the pure performance upgrade is usually stronger than non S series and the device will be able to take iOS uprgades for a longer period. But than means you accept to be on a 4 years upgrade cycle. OK for many people but not really for most readers on this forum I think.

 

[DSTOFEL]

iPad 1: Basically a prototype, bad buy Good buy at the time
iPad 2: Much more powerful, lasted a long time, good buy. Great buy
iPad 3: Too weak to drive the retina screen, bad

​

buy Ditto
iPad 4: Plenty of power to drive the retina screen, good buy Great buy
iPad Air: 64 Bit but 1 GB of RAM, bad buy Good buy
iPad Air 2: A8X + 2 GB of RAM...should be a really good buy that will be for sale well into the future and handle numerous iOS updates? Great buy ....if 2Gb....if not...bad buy

Thoughts?

My thoughts in Red. Slightly more nuanced! In my mind .. Only one truly bad buy in the bunch...iPad 3....though the jury is still out on the Air2....depending on RAM confirmation!

 

[bnmcj1]

Many places states 1 gb ram

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ipad-air-2-vs-htc-nexus-9-which-better-high-end-android-tablet-1470554

Also Phonearena. I am almost sure now that is is 1 GB ram in iPad Air 2. Will grab iPad Air 1 then as one would want to upgrade ti iPad air 3 anyway.

 

[Cool Pup]

I feel like the Air 2 is THE product Steve Jobs had in mind originally when dreaming up the iPad. Just took 4-5 years to get there.

Still on the fence about a preorder. So hard to let go of my 4 since it is absolutely flawless in terms of QC, has a perfect screen, etc.

Absolutely. It's amazing what it is, how light it is, how great the screen is. He'd definitely be proud with this line.

I actually doubt the next version is lighter or thinner. I think this might be as light as they get for a while until new materials come in to cut the bezels down.

 

[s2mikey]

And if it doesn't it won't last 14 days here.

What if it works great though and serves its purpose? Still returning it? That doesn't make sense to me but oh well.

 

[barjam]

Each to their own,

iPad 1: First iPad, breakthrough product, good buy
iPad 2: Incremental update, bad buy
iPad 3: First iPad to have Retina screen, good buy
iPad 4: Not compelling enough if you have the 3, bad buy
iPad Air: Substantially lighter and thinner, good buy
iPad Air 2: ??

Ipad 3 was better for me even though it was heavy. My iPad Air is a turd and at times just feels defective with all the reloading.

 

[Charliebird]

It think so. I'm surprised more people aren't stoked about the A8x processor which sounds like a solid upgrade fitting for an premier product like the iPad Air 2. I think some people might be jealous since they bought in on the Air 1.

 

[MattMJB0188]

iPad 1: Basically a prototype, bad buy
iPad 2: Much more powerful, lasted a long time, good buy
iPad 3: Too weak to drive the retina screen, bad buy
iPad 4: Plenty of power to drive the retina screen, good buy
iPad Air: 64 Bit but 1 GB of RAM, bad buy
iPad Air 2: A8X + 2 GB of RAM...should be a really good buy that will be for sale well into the future and handle numerous iOS updates?

Thoughts?

This is pretty much head on; however, I don't think the iPad 3 was a bad buy. I find it very powerful even today. Of course I am still running iOS 6 on it. The iPad 1 was probably the worst one, followed by the Air.

 

[Wahlstrm]

Except for the weight, my iPad 2 still does everything I need it to do.
Staying away from iOS 8 since that really messed up my phone..

Air 2 is a buy if it´s 2GB ram, then I´ll buy "The New Air Retina Delux 5" in 3 years

 

[zhenya]

I really don't understand how the Air could be considered a 'bad buy' by anyone thinking seriously about this? It's the only full-sized iPad other than the 2 that has been sold alongside the new model. This alone ensures it will have relatively long support from Apple, likely longer than the models that preceded it.

I also think people expecting that more ram is going to fundamentally alter their iPad experience are going to be disappointed. EVERY iOS device ever made has had the same fundamental problems that are being attributed to RAM. ESPECIALLY the Safari reloads. I would expect that more RAM will only make this incrementally better. It's certainly not going to stop it entirely.

 

[Traverse]

My iPad 3 still works. It's not snappy or fluid, but it does work and runs iOS 8 so...

 

[bnmcj1]

It think so. I'm surprised more people aren't stoked about the A8x processor which sounds like a solid upgrade fitting for an premier product like the iPad Air 2. I think some people might be jealous since they bought in on the Air 1.

Nothing to be stoked about when it is maybe 1 GB ram powered. In that case the Air 1 buyers bought a good long lived iPad, even though Air 1 sucks. Thousands of low memory reports on even my mini retina 2.

 

[Charliebird]

Nothing to be stoked about when it is maybe 1 GB ram powered. In that case the Air 1 buyers bought a good long lived iPad, even though Air 1 sucks. Thousands of low memory reports on even my mini retina 2.

Premature to say either way. Rumors and common sense leans towards 2gb but who knows with stingy Apple.

 

[rkuo]

Personally I think it depends on what people mean by longevity. If it is 2 years I would recommend the non S releases as it means you always have the latest form factor and high visibility changes (retina display, ...) - and honestly no iOS device has ever became crippled within 2 years of its release.
For longer that 2 years I would agree the S releases are better because the pure performance upgrade is usually stronger than non S series and the device will be able to take iOS uprgades for a longer period. But than means you accept to be on a 4 years upgrade cycle. OK for many people but not really for most readers on this forum I think.

I would argue the original iPad mini was essentially crippled upon release. It wasn't until the ipad 3 got its 1GB of RAM that we got any stability.

 

[ZBoater]

I would argue the original iPad mini was essentially crippled upon release. It wasn't until the ipad 3 got its 1GB of RAM that we got any stability.

You say this as if millions of iPads with 512MB of RAM were unstable.

They weren't. That is, simply put, not true.

 

[rkuo]

You say this as if millions of iPads with 512MB of RAM were unstable.

They weren't. That is, simply put, not true.

Go play the last level of X-Com or a day or two of Infinity Blade III on the original iPad Mini and let me know how that goes. Or play the Safari equivalent of "the sword of damocles" as you try to look up information in one web page to enter on another web page without losing everything you were typing.

Unstable. The iPad's with 512MB of RAM can single web page surf all day long ... but try to do more than that and the seams appear quickly.

 

[ZBoater]

...The iPad's with 512MB of RAM can single web page surf all day long ... but try to do more than that and the seams appear quickly.

Did you maybe try another browser?