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iPad Pro Not upgrading to iPad Pro 9.7" from Air 2.

d5aqoëp

d5aqoëp

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 9, 2016
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The CPU/GPU is at a level where it will remain under utilized because devs are targeting lowest common denominator tablets. Even Air 2 hasn't reached it's potential.

If you have Air 1 and lower, by all means upgrade. But Air 2 users must NOT upgrade to 9.7" Pro (Air 3) model.

There is absolutely no noticeable difference between the two apart from that extra hyped new chameleon color adapting screen. Performance wise, it behaves and stutters exactly like Air 2 at exact same places.

I am only upgrading from iPad Air 2 128 GB when Apple has USB 3 sync speeds and includes more than 2 GB RAM. I thought a lot through this and the only things that would make a difference are these two.

Shucks!! There was definitely no magic this time to get me suckered in to purchasing. Any one else feel same or is the whole world instantly dumping iPad Air 2 and getting this 9.7" Pro?
 
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I think the ongoing pattern of declining iPad sales over the last two years have shown that most users don't rush out and replace their iPads every time a new version is released.

I'm expecting my Air 2 to last at least 3 years before I upgrade, as did the iPad 2 I previously owned.
 
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Some people just like new and shiny, no matter what under-the-hood improvements may or may not be.

If you are to buy/upgrade your ipad purely on performance you might be right. The air2/9.7 pro probably perform equally. But i dont think most do upgrade purely on internal specs. I think most upgrade on the package as a whole - speakers, Pencil, Keyboard, camera etcetc.

I think most ipad buyers aren't techies like yourself. This is why people will upgrade and earn Apple another fortune. If i fully understand my upgrade wont get me a faster ipad i'd still upgrade.
 
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I think the "magic" you speak of that is missing comes from a couple of angles: 1). Apple is no longer the only tablet rodeo on the market. In fact there is a glut of tablets that help contribute to it just not being a big deal anymore. It's a tablet. So what? They are a dime a dozen now. In the last 6 years we have seen tablets of all shapes/sizes from a myriad of mfgs compete for a slice of the pie. Many of them are quad core systems too. 2). Apple has changed from an innovative company to one more clearly focused on profit from products that are cheaper to make and disposable. Their marketing seems to be buy and dump. Most of their products are no longer upgradable. Their innovation in creating software solutions seem to be going by the wayside. Final Cut Pro for example was at one time the defacto standard for professional media editors. It is no more. I think if Apple stopped bringing out products every few months and instead concentrated on greater software integration for the products it does sell, product launches would be more exciting and thrilling. Yes the device is important but the operating system/software is critical.
 
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One day Apple may finally become reasonable and make an iPad Real Pro with OS X and USB type-c onboard. Now that would be decent. In fact there's one – it's called macbook – and it only lacks a digitizer and a removable lightweight keyboard cover instead of a built-in one.

Imagine a Surface Pro 4 like OS X tablet with twice the battery life, OS X interface and speed and Apple's glass trackpad on a smart keyboard. That thing would kill the entire emerging market of Win10 tablets because they still can't get it right to be honest.

It's 2016 and mobile tablets' hardware is seriously overpowered for what Android and iOS can offer. We're basically talking about wasting ultrabook levels of performance on a cellphone's operating systems.
 
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Yes even I am the biggest fan of the latest but these updates are more for older iPads and people wanting to upgrade.

Generally most people may keep an iPad for a few years and iPhone 2 years. I updated to the iPhone 6S from the 6 and I could have kept the 6 to be honest. For me 3D Touch isn't something I use and I rarely take a 4K video as I have a 16gb iPhone.

Apple are slow on ideas at the moment and designs are lasting longer the next big revamp is the curved OLED displays but that probably won't be until 2017.

The winners are people with the Air 1 and IPhone 6 as they at first glance look no different to today's line up. It's becoming harder for me to justify regular updates. I would happily do so if there was something decent but things like cameras are not anything major on a iPad.
 
I still have the air 2 and bought from curiosity 2 months ago the 12.9" ipad pro
Im not going to replace my air2 until the gen 2 comes out
I hope second gen Smart Keyboard will be illuminated
 
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d5aqoëp said:
The CPU/GPU is at a level where it will remain under utilized because devs are targeting lowest common denominator tablets. Even Air 2 hasn't reached it's potential.

If you have Air 1 and lower, by all means upgrade. But Air 2 users must NOT upgrade to 9.7" Pro (Air 3) model.

There is absolutely no noticeable difference between the two apart from that extra hyped new chameleon color adapting screen. Performance wise, it behaves and stutters exactly like Air 2 at exact same places.

I am only upgrading from iPad Air 2 128 GB when Apple has USB 3 sync speeds and includes more than 2 GB RAM. I thought a lot through this and the only things that would make a difference are these two.

Shucks!! There was definitely no magic this time to get me suckered in to purchasing. Any one else feel same or is the whole world instantly dumping iPad Air 2 and getting this 9.7" Pro?
Click to expand...
I agree that those with ipad air 2s should not feel compelled to upgrade. However, to say there is no performance differences is wrong. There are a couple speed tests between the two on YouTube and the pro wins every time. Is it a significant amount of time saved, probably not. You really do see the difference with more intensive apps like games.
 
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d5aqoëp said:
.......Air 2 users must NOT upgrade to 9.7" Pro (Air 3) model....
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with the gist of your post. However, in my mind it's more that "Many Air 2 users will feel no real need to update to the 9.7 Pro" rather than "Air 2 users must NOT upgrade to the 9.7 Pro".

I think the Air 2 will remain relavant for some time to come. I'm glad I snagged a 64GB model for $449 last Fall when Staples appeared to be clearing them out. For me, the iPad is purely a consumption device as it is for many others I'm sure. I would have very little if any need for the pencil or keyboard and since I primarily use headphones when listening to the iPad, the upgraded speakers is also not a big draw.

I'm going to hang onto the iPad 2 and see what improvements the next cycle brings (i.e. 4K display?, 4GB Ram?).
 
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d5aqoëp said:
The CPU/GPU is at a level where it will remain under utilized because devs are targeting lowest common denominator tablets. Even Air 2 hasn't reached it's potential.

If you have Air 1 and lower, by all means upgrade. But Air 2 users must NOT upgrade to 9.7" Pro (Air 3) model.

There is absolutely no noticeable difference between the two apart from that extra hyped new chameleon color adapting screen. Performance wise, it behaves and stutters exactly like Air 2 at exact same places.

I am only upgrading from iPad Air 2 128 GB when Apple has USB 3 sync speeds and includes more than 2 GB RAM. I thought a lot through this and the only things that would make a difference are these two.

Shucks!! There was definitely no magic this time to get me suckered in to purchasing. Any one else feel same or is the whole world instantly dumping iPad Air 2 and getting this 9.7" Pro?
Click to expand...


A few points Developers do target the Lowest common denominator to a Point. They Target the Largest Market and soon the Largest Market will be the A9X Chip not only that Look at the GPU in the 6s and the iPad Pro and the now 9.7 iPad Pro this is what developers need. This is what will make iPad Air 2 users pull their hair out when they can't get the latest stuff or Updates because theres just not enough horsepower in a 1.5Ghz chip. Plus why would developers Split their Production teams the A8X is the only SKU to use a Tri-Core CPU everything else Future wise has a Dual Core A9X which even though Dual Core is So many time faster than the A8X. A9X is literally faster than 600 Million 5 year Old PC's out there, including Intel Core i5 So thats what Developers will target.

Apple is Developing 2 Tiers like on their PC Line. MacBooks and Macbook Pros...iPads and iPad Pros....soon iPhone and iPhone Pro some will have Features others Lack.

All that being said. The iPad Air 2 is the best iPad to have ever been its the best Value for Money if you purchased a new one in 2014 it was a great Deal and is still very good. And its the Longest Lived there was no 9.7 iPad in 2015.
 
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I now have a Ipad2 16GB and iPad Mini2 32GB and plan on upgrading to a Refurbished iPad Mini4 64GB when they become available in the Apple On-line Store.

I like the form factor of the iPad Mini4 which should last me for several more years as my primary "consumption" device.
 
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d5aqoëp said:
Even Air 2 hasn't reached it's potential.
Click to expand...

I second that! Yes the iPad Air 2 has reached it's potential(kind of)....

There are heavy and graphic intensive games like the Grand Theft Auto games, Gangster Vegas, Asphalt 8, Modern Combat 5: Blackout, Dead Trigger 2, Assassin's Creed and all so some apps like Pinnacle Studio, Photoshop Touch, Pixelmator, Procreate and more are pushing the A8X chip in the iPad Air 2 to it's limits!!

Maybe you did not think there was no app or game that is not putting stress on the A8X chip in the iPad Air 2 at the moment yet but there is as I mentioned above and I thought I just correct you on this.. :)
 
I love my iPad and upgraded to the new Pro.

My hope is Apple gets what is holding back the iPad is iOS, core apps, and the developer ecosystem—NOT missing hardware.
 
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Night Spring said:
How do you know that? Have you used one?
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It is definitely not going to outperform the bigger iPad Pro which in turn behaves exactly like Air 2. Law of deduction. It would have due to fewer screen pixels but it's underclocked so low chance. But if it outperforms both last year iPad models, then you know that Planned Obsolescence is for real.
 
stulaw11 said:
Exactly. People write it all off seeing 2GB without much more thought how the processor and graphics chip interact with the RAM.
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This is true. The iPad Pro also features a faster storage subsystem (in particular random read/write). Given one of my annoyances is stuff slowing down/stuttering when I've got apps updating in the background, should be interesting to see how performance will improve.
 
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d5aqoëp said:
If you have Air 1 and lower, by all means upgrade. But Air 2 users must NOT upgrade to 9.7" Pro (Air 3) model.
Click to expand...

They MUST NOT! It is forbidden! And I'm glad that Air 1 users have your permission to upgrade.

I do feel bad about the Air 2 users wanting to use the Pencil, though. You know - that single most important reason to get the iPad Pro....
 
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aevan said:
They MUST NOT! It is forbidden! And I'm glad that Air 1 users have your permission to upgrade.

I do feel bad about the Air 2 users wanting to use the Pencil, though. You know - that single most important reason to get the iPad Pro....
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It is not a permission. It is a suggestion. Clear difference.
That was very cocky of you to say that.
 
aevan said:
Hey, you are the one who used the word 'must', remember? "They must NOT upgrade"? Who's cocky?
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It can never be permission as I am no authority. But if you insist for the sake of winning the argument then ok. Not the first time words have been put into my mouth.

rui no onna said:
The use of the word must implies something stronger than a suggestion. Indeed, it's more like an order or command.
Click to expand...
That is an emphasis or strong endorsement. That does not mean I am giving permission to everyone to upgrade. It's everyone's own money. Let them decide ultimately.

I'm out.
 
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