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iOS 9 on the iPad Mini 2?
- Thread starter zenbro
- Start date
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I upgraded the day it was released and had no issues with 9 on the Mini 2. I upgraded to an Air 2 when Staples had that great sale but I did so for the bigger screen, the increase in speed, and the split view multitasking; not because there was any issue with the Mini 2. Runs 9 just fine in my experience.
A.
It's fine on a mini 2 retina, runs smoothly and more reliably than iOS 8 for me. Safari benefits from the ad blockers too, most pages load with alacrity.
Can't think of a reason to not upgrade.
Can't think of a reason to not upgrade.
iOS 9 runs fine for me on my mini 2. It even fixed a bug. In the previous version, 8.4.?, Kindle stuttered when I tried to run pages in a book which had many highlights. I upgraded to iOS 9 and it works fine now. iOS 9 also has some worthwhile features. If you run two fingers along the keyboard, you can carefully move and position the cursor; I've wanted something like that for a while. And there's the support for content blockers.
Do not upgrade a mini 2 to IOS9. When IOS9 GM came out, I tried it on my mini 2 (previously had IOS 8.1.2).
It turned a perfectly good tablet with butter smooth animations, transitions, web browsing and app loading and stability it to utterly a complete disaster.
Gave it 3 days and could not deal with the lag, slow fps animations and transitions, 1-2 second delay when you touch clicked an app just for it to start and load. Then there were longer load times for apps because they're optimized for IOS 8 not at all for IOS 9. Since the mini 2 has A7 processor and less than a gig of ram for useable memory, IOS 9 cannot stay loaded into ram to keep things smooth because there is not much of it.
I play Beach Buggy Blitz Racing (first one that came out) and it warns you when there is low memory before continuing into the game to play it. Never saw that error ever before in IOS 8. I even had everything in the task switcher closed out (which by the way lags as well). In IOS 9 I got the low memory error in game.
In game I would get pauses/freezes which is called "hitching" every random amount of seconds.
Crossy Roads loads in exactly 12 seconds for me on Mini 2 and Air 1 using IOS 8. On mini 2 with IOS 9, it took over 30 seconds every single time to load it even after 3 days for the OS to settle.
Also the new IOS 9 keyboard likes to lag and cause all kinds of problems while typing on it because it has more functionality that is automated.
Keyboard on IOS 8 is more simplistic and I can type way faster on it because it keeps up (using it now on my Air 1 running IOS 8.2)
All you will gain in IOS 9 is the side menu app load where you can use apps that support it on side of screen, but main app in main big window on screen is paused and your locked out of it until you close side screen loaded app.
Also you get PiP video which is cool but not worth it to lose performance and basic smooth functionality like in IOS 8. Also tested several times, my Mini 2 would only last 11 hours screen on with usage.
When I restored my mini 2 back to IOS 8.4.1 using the DFU method then restoring iCloud backup, everything was smooth and perfect again making it feel like a brand new top of the line device compared to the messy IOS 9.
Also there is a IOS 9 bug that won't let you login to your Messages and FaceTime apps, no work around and your stuck without it. Also now there is a glitch with Game Center where it does not work when in the main application and lags in game while loading along with game being played.
Trust me it's not worth it, besides in IOS 8.4.1, 30-40 percent gaming, 50 percent web browsing, and 10-20 percent YouTube, music, and networking tools my last usage time with screen on was 13 hours and 15 minutes before 1 percent battery automatic shutdown.
Remember this, IOS 8.4.1 cannot be downgraded to now. Once you go with IOS 9 and realize you hate it like the majority of Apple users across the board (all Apple devices) your stuck with a paper weight that you got to sell.
Just wanted to warn you, my Mini 2 and Air 1 work perfectly on IOS 8 and I want it to stay that way. Never had a single app crash, reload, reset or lockup making device unstable and having to shut it down or reboot.
On IOS 9 did have those problems on mini 2.
It turned a perfectly good tablet with butter smooth animations, transitions, web browsing and app loading and stability it to utterly a complete disaster.
Gave it 3 days and could not deal with the lag, slow fps animations and transitions, 1-2 second delay when you touch clicked an app just for it to start and load. Then there were longer load times for apps because they're optimized for IOS 8 not at all for IOS 9. Since the mini 2 has A7 processor and less than a gig of ram for useable memory, IOS 9 cannot stay loaded into ram to keep things smooth because there is not much of it.
I play Beach Buggy Blitz Racing (first one that came out) and it warns you when there is low memory before continuing into the game to play it. Never saw that error ever before in IOS 8. I even had everything in the task switcher closed out (which by the way lags as well). In IOS 9 I got the low memory error in game.
In game I would get pauses/freezes which is called "hitching" every random amount of seconds.
Crossy Roads loads in exactly 12 seconds for me on Mini 2 and Air 1 using IOS 8. On mini 2 with IOS 9, it took over 30 seconds every single time to load it even after 3 days for the OS to settle.
Also the new IOS 9 keyboard likes to lag and cause all kinds of problems while typing on it because it has more functionality that is automated.
Keyboard on IOS 8 is more simplistic and I can type way faster on it because it keeps up (using it now on my Air 1 running IOS 8.2)
All you will gain in IOS 9 is the side menu app load where you can use apps that support it on side of screen, but main app in main big window on screen is paused and your locked out of it until you close side screen loaded app.
Also you get PiP video which is cool but not worth it to lose performance and basic smooth functionality like in IOS 8. Also tested several times, my Mini 2 would only last 11 hours screen on with usage.
When I restored my mini 2 back to IOS 8.4.1 using the DFU method then restoring iCloud backup, everything was smooth and perfect again making it feel like a brand new top of the line device compared to the messy IOS 9.
Also there is a IOS 9 bug that won't let you login to your Messages and FaceTime apps, no work around and your stuck without it. Also now there is a glitch with Game Center where it does not work when in the main application and lags in game while loading along with game being played.
Trust me it's not worth it, besides in IOS 8.4.1, 30-40 percent gaming, 50 percent web browsing, and 10-20 percent YouTube, music, and networking tools my last usage time with screen on was 13 hours and 15 minutes before 1 percent battery automatic shutdown.
Remember this, IOS 8.4.1 cannot be downgraded to now. Once you go with IOS 9 and realize you hate it like the majority of Apple users across the board (all Apple devices) your stuck with a paper weight that you got to sell.
Just wanted to warn you, my Mini 2 and Air 1 work perfectly on IOS 8 and I want it to stay that way. Never had a single app crash, reload, reset or lockup making device unstable and having to shut it down or reboot.
On IOS 9 did have those problems on mini 2.
Wow, thanks for the super in depth reply and sharing you personal experience. Somehow I feel I'm ok tho, mainly because I will use it for reading PDF's, making notes, a little browsing and email. No games or heavy duty work.
I'll write down my experience once I have spend a few days with it.
Zener
Just to note there are other bugs. The famous stock email and battery drain, the Apple music glitch, and slow performance with safari browser.
Peeps have changed. Nowadays they don't care about performance, stability, or bugs. Peeps just want the newest software because they feel like they are missing out of the fun.
Doesn't help that all the apple geniuses tell peeps to update if anything is wrong with their current device
Not all of us have the same experience when updating. As I mentioned, I had a rather nasty bug on my mini 2 with the Kindle that disappeared when I upgraded to iOS 9.
I've come to the conclusion it's best to update as soon as one can. That way if the new version doesn't work well, one has time to back it out before Apple decrees there's no going back.
I've come to the conclusion it's best to update as soon as one can. That way if the new version doesn't work well, one has time to back it out before Apple decrees there's no going back.
I'm using a Mini 3, running iOS beta 9.1. It runs really well for me though. I've had no issues with lag, crashing, etc. It's been pretty smooth. =)
Agreed. That's why I think it makes sense to jump on a new update as soon as possible, to avoid missing that window.
I have had no apparent problems with my original iPad Mini 1 since upgrading to iOS 9 last week.
But, my new iPad Mini4 is a real upgrade in terms of speed, screen quality, Touch ID, etc.
Really appreciate the reports here, good and bad, pro and con! We have an iPad a mini 2 and I was curious how iOS 9 was doing on it, I'm definitely holding off for a while.
Trying to find some lightness in the midst of it all...
[QUOTE="I've come to the conclusion it's best to update as soon as one can. That way if the new version doesn't work well, one has time to back it out before Apple decrees there's no going back.[/QUOTE]
LOL! It reminds me of Mark Twain's comment about the cat and the hot stove! You'll never know what you're missing that next gets put on the stove!
My approach is exactly the opposite! Do NOT upgrade immediately to any major new # version of the OS (i.e., 7. 8, and, now iOS 9), especially not with older devices. Always wait for the dust to settle and the x.o1 or even X.1 to come out--and, then upgrade, if the reports are generally favorable on old devices. They fix plenty of stuff in those dot releases.
The thread already has plenty of people having perfectly fine iOS 9 experiences, which counter-balance the bad ones. So, *sweeping* condemnation of Apple and the new OS aren't justified. It's not a universal disaster. Still, that's smali comfort if you're among those hit by the problems. I feel the pain, and wish, too, that the hassles, sluggishness, and complications weren't there for anybody. But it seems that the modern OSs have become too complex to ensure smooth sailing for all.
That's why it's best to hold off for a spell. But that doesn't help those hit by the probs.
Trying to find some lightness in the midst of it all...
[QUOTE="I've come to the conclusion it's best to update as soon as one can. That way if the new version doesn't work well, one has time to back it out before Apple decrees there's no going back.[/QUOTE]
LOL! It reminds me of Mark Twain's comment about the cat and the hot stove! You'll never know what you're missing that next gets put on the stove!
My approach is exactly the opposite! Do NOT upgrade immediately to any major new # version of the OS (i.e., 7. 8, and, now iOS 9), especially not with older devices. Always wait for the dust to settle and the x.o1 or even X.1 to come out--and, then upgrade, if the reports are generally favorable on old devices. They fix plenty of stuff in those dot releases.
The thread already has plenty of people having perfectly fine iOS 9 experiences, which counter-balance the bad ones. So, *sweeping* condemnation of Apple and the new OS aren't justified. It's not a universal disaster. Still, that's smali comfort if you're among those hit by the problems. I feel the pain, and wish, too, that the hassles, sluggishness, and complications weren't there for anybody. But it seems that the modern OSs have become too complex to ensure smooth sailing for all.
That's why it's best to hold off for a spell. But that doesn't help those hit by the probs.
That is actually not at all crazy, in fact it makes a lot of sense. I'd make sure that the last thing I did before I upgraded iOS was to make a backup and archive it, though!
Remember also that people with good experiences post in much smaller numbers than people who feel aggrieved. Forums like MR are not a scientific polling experience.
LOL! It reminds me of Mark Twain's comment about the cat and the hot stove! You'll never know what you're missing that next gets put on the stove!
My approach is exactly the opposite! Do NOT upgrade immediately to any major new # version of the OS (i.e., 7. 8, and, now iOS 9), especially not with older devices. Always wait for the dust to settle and the x.o1 or even X.1 to come out--and, then upgrade, if the reports are generally favorable on old devices. They fix plenty of stuff in those dot releases.
The thread already has plenty of people having perfectly fine iOS 9 experiences, which counter-balance the bad ones. So, *sweeping* condemnation of Apple and the new OS aren't justified. It's not a universal disaster. Still, that's smali comfort if you're among those hit by the problems. I feel the pain, and wish, too, that the hassles, sluggishness, and complications weren't there for anybody. But it seems that the modern OSs have become too complex to ensure smooth sailing for all.
That's why it's best to hold off for a spell. But that doesn't help those hit by the probs.[/QUOTE]
Ok but most people only complain when there are major problems with the new iOS. Most people are not going to voice their complaint if the performance is 10%-20% slower. Plus the glitches in iOS 9 is pretty tough to replicate so that will discourage many from voicing their concerns. The facts are there that over 60% of surveyed Apple users noticed iOS 9 makes their device slower or very slow.
http://www.cnet.com/news/some-iphone-users-say-ios-9-has-slowed-down-their-phones/
"A poll conducted by tech publication 9to5Mac on Friday, two days after iOS 9 was released, asked "How has iOS 9 affected your iPhone?" Out of the 27,725 people who voted, 36 percent said their iPhone was significantly slower after the update, while 31 percent said it was a little bit slower after the update."