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Apple to Obsolete All iPad Mini 3 Cellular and Wi-Fi Models in Coming Weeks

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple will label Wi-Fi-only and cellular models of the third-generation iPad mini as obsolete products in a few weeks, according to a memo sent out earlier today obtained by MacRumors.

ipad_mini_trademark_specimen.jpg

Currently, only a specific cellular variant of the iPad mini 3 is marked as obsolete, but this will soon change. The third-generation iPad mini kept the same design as its predecessor but included improved performance thanks to the A7 chip and a Touch ID home button.

Apple designates products as obsolete seven years after they were last on sale. All hardware service is discontinued for obsolete products, and service providers are not able to order parts for obsolete devices.

Article Link: Apple to Obsolete All iPad Mini 3 Cellular and Wi-Fi Models in Coming Weeks
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/12/06/ipad-mini-3-obsolete/
I skipped the 3 as it was such a small upgrade from the 2. Then I skipped the 5 (same reason) and pretty much have given up on the mini with the 6 and the "Jelly Scroll" which is/was very noticeable to me.
 
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ProfessionalFan said:
Is this the one I bought that was replaced in the lineup super fast? I forget.
Click to expand...

I think you are referring to iPad 3, which was the first retina ipad but with very slow processor. It was replaced by ipad 4 within 8 months I believe. I've been burned couple of times by Apple with 1st revisions, but this was one very annoying because damn thing was very slow.
 
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This thing has felt obsolete for years. My aunt bought this back in 2014 and it ran ok at first I guess. Seemed like after a few software updates, this iPad became pathetically slow, After a total clean install, it didn't run any better. She ONLY used one app on the darn thing (TuneIn Radio). Just from my experiences with this, it was probably the worst iPad I've ever handled.

Anyway, I bought her a simple little Fire 10 tablet a few Xmas' ago and it works for her. I took the Mini and it must be plugged in at all times, I only use it with a white noise app for when I sleep..and even that can make this feel like a laggy 2010 iPad on iOS3. "Battery Health" (according to Coconut) is at a terrible 76%.
 
Royksöpp said:
A total piece of junk. It scored dead last on both Single and Multi core Geekbench. It even scored lower than the iPad 2 and 1st Gen Mini.

Single

View attachment 2124192



Multi

View attachment 2124193
Click to expand...
91Tech on youtube literally rates iPad mini 3 as F (aka trash tier) because it is such a pointless update, not justifying the name change at all. iPad 10 at least brings some changes to the table to make it somewhat new. iPad mini 3 has almost none of that. No, just adding touch ID is not "some changes".
 
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tardman91 said:
My kid is still using an iPad mini 2 with no issues. Not so obsolete I guess.
Click to expand...
It works fine as long as you don't need any current apps. I had a few apps on the one I gave to my folks years ago that just don't work anymore and can't get updates. It can definitely be serviceable for kids or seniors though still.
 
nymphe said:
I think you are referring to iPad 3, which was the first retina ipad but with very slow processor. It was replaced by ipad 4 within 8 months I believe. I've been burned couple of times by Apple with 1st revisions, but this was one very annoying because damn thing was very slow.
Click to expand...
It was a mini that it happened with, I am 99% sure because I used to only buy the mini.
 
Got an old ipad mini 3 that my daughter is still using. It runs older versions of apple music and netflix and it is one OS version shy of being able to take advantage of Apple's parental controls, but otherwise it works just fine for her entertainment, school work, and long car trips. And it still technically receives the occasional security update, which I find amazing.
 
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Royksöpp said:
A total piece of junk. It scored dead last on both Single and Multi core Geekbench. It even scored lower than the iPad 2 and 1st Gen Mini.

Single





Multi
Click to expand...
that graph is confusing because it's comparing apples and oranges. Geekbench keeps changing its baseline scores and 32 bit devices are using the previous system which had a higher numerical value for a given performance. Plus there's no way an Air 2 has the same speed as a iPad 2.
 
iPad 2 and iPad 3 share almost the same specs except screen resolution… 1024 x 768 for iPad 2 while 2048 x 1536 for iPad 3

iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3 share almost the same specs except the home button… iPad mini 2 uses the classic home button while iPad mini 3 has the Touch ID home button…

In both cases you either stick with 2nd gen or go for the 4th gen…
 
nymphe said:
I think you are referring to iPad 3, which was the first retina ipad but with very slow processor. It was replaced by ipad 4 within 8 months I believe. I've been burned couple of times by Apple with 1st revisions, but this was one very annoying because damn thing was very slow.
Click to expand...
tell me about. honestly the worst apple device i ever owned and maybe one of the worst ever
 
Funny!
My iPad Mini 4 can barely work with iPadOS 15.6, though it was almost exclusively used for messaging apps.
I'm sure it worked OK before that latest iPad OS 15 update, but there is no return.

So I was forced to buy an used iPad Mini 6 in mint state.
Now I have one iPad Mini 2 and one iPad Mini 4 and don't know what to do with them.
I'll hate myself to sell them to somebody deemed to suffer using them.
 
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