iPad Air 2 upgrade to 4.2 Bluetooth technology?

[rsnhakan]

Hi there!

I have an iPad Air 2 which I already own for a year. I saw that Apple upgraded "new" iPad Air 2's to Bluetooth 4.2 (from 4.0). Is this a software update or does Apple changed a specific component in the iPad?

 

[newellj]

Googling this indicates that the 4.0 -> 4.2 update is partly firmware and partly hardware, so there has been a hardware change. AFAIK, there's no date available for the change and no way to ping the hardware to determine the BT version. If your only use of BT with the iPad to connect keyboards and headsets (which is all I use BT for with an iPad), the change is basically a non-event, as far as I can tell from searching for info on the change.

 

[newellj]

Article on this topic here.

 

[rsnhakan]

We still have no update..

 

[Mlrollin91]

What is the model number for your original iPad Air 2.

From what I have gathered. The model number changed Mid 2015. If its FGKL2LL/A Its BT 4.0. If its MGKL2LL/A its BT 4.2. (This is for a 64GB Space Grey Wifi)

Going through the Refurb store vs. new. Anything listed with BT 4.0 had a model number that begins with an 'F'. Anything with 4.2 has a model number that begins with an 'M'.

 

[newellj]

Interesting. I wonder of the F to M first letter change is indicative on all models. Thanks for the post.

 

[mrex]

Cannot be just the first letter. Mine is bought on the last year and start with M.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Bad news all. It's not F vs M. Another member pointed out in the other thread that F means refurb while M means retail unit. So the mystery remains. 4.2 is a hardware upgrade, not software. I am continuing to dig deeper trying to find a build week that it changes.

 

[sparksd]

Bad news all. It's not F vs M. Another member pointed out in the other thread that F means refurb while M means retail unit. So the mystery remains. 4.2 is a hardware upgrade, not software. I am continuing to dig deeper trying to find a build week that it changes.

It appears that some elements of 4.2 can be implemented in a 4.0 device via software but the performance improvements require new hardware:

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014...ings-ipv6-better-privacy-and-increased-speed/