iPad iPad Air 2 worth it?

[sanke1]

It's just a different animation....
What you wrote works also on the other way: just because you see sluggishness doesn't mean they are here.
It's just a different animation. Clearly you can like it or not, is subjective.
But blaming Apple for something that many others like......

Even I saw the sluggishness of that animation when tapping the omnibar. That's what made browsing experience terrible on iPad Air 1.

I fully blame Apple for that as they clearly know about it during testing. It's so damn obvious. Which makes me believe it's been done on purpose to render older tablets obsolete compared to their newer shinest Air 2.

This info is not even subjective. The slugishness of that animation is by design.

 

[Max(IT)]

Even I saw the sluggishness of that animation when tapping the omnibar. That's what made browsing experience terrible on iPad Air 1.

I fully blame Apple for that as they clearly know about it during testing. It's so damn obvious. Which makes me believe it's been done on purpose to render older tablets obsolete compared to their newer shinest Air 2.

This info is not even subjective. The slugishness of that animation is by design.

I'm using an iPad air, Safari isn't my favorite browser because it's a memory hog, but I can't see any annoying sluggishness on that animation. So it's subjective.

 

[RebornProphet]

I'm using an iPad air, Safari isn't my favorite browser because it's a memory hog, but I can't see any annoying sluggishness on that animation. So it's subjective.

If you stood with either an iPad Air on iOS 7.1.2 or an iPad Air 2 on iOS 8.1.2 and used one of them side by side with your iPad Air on iOS 8.1.2 you would notice it straight away. Trust me.

Also the animation as the home screen fades back into view when you press "cancel" while in Spotlight isn't as smooth on the Air 1 in iOS 8 as it is on the iPad Air 2 on iOS 8. People have said its because it's full screen blur which taxes the Air 1's graphics, which is rubbish when you realise that Notification Center is smooth and also has full screen transparency/blur.

iPad Air owners are being shafted by Apple, they've added these little areas of slowness or sluggishness so that to buyers in the store trying both the Air 1 and Air 2 side by side, there is a discernible difference between both when the truth is that, right now at least, both run all third party apps 99.9% the same bar a second or two better loading times on the Air 2.

In fact the only app thus far to receive an iPad Air 2 specific update is Oceanhorn with its x4 textures update for the A8X. Other than that you'd be unable to tell in game footage from both tablets apart.

When was the last time you seen or used an iPad Air on iOS 7.1.2?

 

[Max(IT)]

If you stood with either an iPad Air on iOS 7.1.2 or an iPad Air 2 on iOS 8.1.2 and used one of them side by side with your iPad Air on iOS 8.1.2 you would notice it straight away. Trust me.

Also the animation as the home screen fades back into view when you press "cancel" while in Spotlight isn't as smooth on the Air 1 in iOS 8 as it is on the iPad Air 2 on iOS 8. People have said its because it's full screen blur which taxes the Air 1's graphics, which is rubbish when you realise that Notification Center is smooth and also has full screen transparency/blur.

iPad Air owners are being shafted by Apple, they've added these little areas of slowness or sluggishness so that to buyers in the store trying both the Air 1 and Air 2 side by side, there is a discernible difference between both when the truth is that, right now at least, both run all third party apps 99.9% the same bar a second or two better loading times on the Air 2.

In fact the only app thus far to receive an iPad Air 2 specific update is Oceanhorn with its x4 textures update for the A8X. Other than that you'd be unable to tell in game footage from both tablets apart.

When was the last time you seen or used an iPad Air on iOS 7.1.2?

I can't make a direct comparison, since I'm on iOS 8 since its release, but I'm more than happy about it, and surely I don't feel the need to upgrade it for that reason.
All the discussion about "planned obsolescence" are BS, like several ex Apple's employees already stated. There is not such a policy in Apple.
They used different animations, we can like it or not, and maybe the Air 2 handles it better being much powerful (I didn't make a direct comparison but I can't notice any difference in normal use), but it's not planned obsolescence....

 

[RebornProphet]

I can't make a direct comparison, since I'm on iOS 8 since its release, but I'm more than happy about it, and surely I don't feel the need to upgrade it for that reason.
All the discussion about "planned obsolescence" are BS, like several ex Apple's employees already stated. There is not such a policy in Apple.
They used different animations, we can like it or not, and maybe the Air 2 handles it better being much powerful (I didn't make a direct comparison but I can't notice any difference in normal use), but it's not planned obsolescence....

It's not a different animation. You tap the address bar and as the keyboard comes up from the bottom of the screen, the address in the omnibar highlights grey and slides left to reveal the full address. It's the same in iOS 7 and iOS 8. The ONLY difference is that the Favourites bookmarks drop down in a little box as opposed to the entire screen going white behind the keyboard showing the Favourite bookmarks. The ANIMATION that is sluggish on iOS 8 is exactly the same as the one that's in iOS 7, albeit in iOS 7 it's smoother.

Regarding the Air 2 handing it better because it's more powerful ... both tablets throw 20 cars around detailed 3D tracks at ridiculous frame rates. I'm sure the Air 1 can handle a URL highlighting and sliding to the left smoothly as a keyboard comes on screen. The fact is they chose NOT to do so.

And yes, of course Apple are going to deny there's a planned obsolescence policy. iPhone 3G and iOS 4 was the birth of planned obsolescence at Apple, I lived it, and it wasn't pretty.

God, you're so naive.

 

[sanke1]

All the discussion about "planned obsolescence" are BS, like several ex Apple's employees already stated. There is not such a policy in Apple.
They used different animations, we can like it or not, and maybe the Air 2 handles it better being much powerful (I didn't make a direct comparison but I can't notice any difference in normal use), but it's not planned obsolescence....

Stop pretending to be so naive. Which Apple employee working in iOS UI department can come clean on such policies? They care about their job security more than that stupid animation running at 10 fps.

Of course there is no planned obsolescence policy. They make changes to the code on project manager's instructions. They know what they are doing but will not discuss about it amongst themselves. If the upper management wants a particular animation on a particular device to run at 10 fps, then that's the end of it. Hope you understand what I am talking about.

 

[Max(IT)]

Am I the naive ?
On the contrary, you are naive and uninformed, but aligned with the level of many forum users here...

An article about how ridiculous is the concept of planned obsolescence:
http://gizmodo.com/no-apples-not-trying-to-bust-your-phone-1453999009

Oh, and it is written by Gizmodo, maybe the less Apple favorable website on the web.

Planned obsolescence is a concept good only for forum members with little knowledge of the market (or frustrated Android supported, but I don't know/care if this is the case).

 

[RebornProphet]

Am I the naive ?
On the contrary, you are naive and uninformed, but aligned with the level of many forum users here...

An article about how ridiculous is the concept of planned obsolescence:
http://gizmodo.com/no-apples-not-trying-to-bust-your-phone-1453999009

Oh, and it is written by Gizmodo, maybe the less Apple favorable website on the web.

Planned obsolescence is a concept good only for forum members with little knowledge of the market (or frustrated Android supported, but I don't know/care if this is the case).

What part of Italy are you from?

My wife and I visit Sorrento often, last visit was in September and we return in April this year. I'd be happy to show you my Air if you're from the Naples region.

 

[Serban]

the same version of OS will always run a little better with a better cpu and more ram. like ipad air 1 run better than ipad 4, ipad 4 better than ipad 3 and so on...so what are you saying ?

 

[Max(IT)]

What part of Italy are you from?

My wife and I visit Sorrento often, last visit was in September and we return in April this year. I'd be happy to show you my Air if you're from the Naples region.

Work and live in Rome. And not going to bring my air in the Naples area

 

[RebornProphet]

Work and live in Rome. And not going to bring my air in the Naples area

Haha! I don't blame you. While Sorrento is beautiful, I found Naples a little intimidating. Then again I've heard as many stories of pickpocketing in Rome as I have Naples. Still, beautiful country.

 

[sanke1]

People fight, people make up. So much love on macrumors lately.

 

[Max(IT)]

Haha! I don't blame you. While Sorrento is beautiful, I found Naples a little intimidating. Then again I've heard as many stories of pickpocketing in Rome as I have Naples. Still, beautiful country.

Sure, especially when tourists are involved.

I'm from Milan, in the north of Italy, so I'm very careful when I'm bringing my iDevices with me.

 

[RebornProphet]

Sure, especially when tourists are involved.

I'm from Milan, in the north of Italy, so I'm very careful when I'm bringing my iDevices with me.

I'd love to visit Milan, especially since I grew to love AC Milan as a boy. We used to get Italian football coverage here in Scotland on Channel 4, highlights show every Saturday morning and a live game on Sundays. This was back in early 1990's when I was 10 or 11 years old. I hope if you like football you're not an Inter fan.

Still, we climbed Mount Vesuvius and visited both Pompeii and Herculaneum. Amazing. And I had my iPad and iPhone in tow!

 

[Max(IT)]

I'd love to visit Milan, especially since I grew to love AC Milan as a boy. We used to get Italian football coverage here in Scotland on Channel 4, highlights show every Saturday morning and a live game on Sundays. This was back in early 1990's when I was 10 or 11 years old. I hope if you like football you're not an Inter fan.

Still, we climbed Mount Vesuvius and visited both Pompeii and Herculaneum. Amazing. And I had my iPad and iPhone in tow!

Juventus now and forever !!!

 

[Zombolo]

Juventus now and forever !!!

Finalmente qualcuno che ne capisce. ^___^

Nice choice mate! Take our fingers crossed about national championship.

 

[RebornProphet]

Ok, so I bit the bullet and updated my iPad Air to iOS 8.1.2.

First thing, regarding the animation I mentioned. In portrait mode it's perfect, but in landscape mode it still has that little bit of sluggishness I mentioned.

The only other "annoyance" I'm noticing is that the keyboard is a franction less responsive. It's not unusable but there is a very subtle feeling that the keyboard isn't as fluid as it was on iOS 7.1.2.

I was going to try iOS 8.2 beta 3 but I've heard it breaks the MFi controller connectivity and I got a Stratus XL for Christmas and can't do without it for Asphalt 8!

 

[Max(IT)]

Ok, so I bit the bullet and updated my iPad Air to iOS 8.1.2.

First thing, regarding the animation I mentioned. In portrait mode it's perfect, but in landscape mode it still has that little bit of sluggishness I mentioned.

The only other "annoyance" I'm noticing is that the keyboard is a franction less responsive. It's not unusable but there is a very subtle feeling that the keyboard isn't as fluid as it was on iOS 7.1.2.

I was going to try iOS 8.2 beta 3 but I've heard it breaks the MFi controller connectivity and I got a Stratus XL for Christmas and can't do without it for Asphalt 8!

Give a try to Swype keyboard, especially if you are writing mostly in English.

Ps: I'm using my iPad in portrait 90% of the time, so I don't know much about landscape sluggishness

 

[Traverse]

My (returned) unit had the screen distortion issue haut by holding. The Apple Store employees acknowledged that the display models had it too.

 

[Lefty357]

Sorry, have.. Not had.. I still have both of them (the other one is a gift). If only we had applestores here, i would go and replace the other one immediately. But we dont and i would need to post it etc... Every ipads in stores i have tried have terrible distortions... It may be that earlier batches suffered this even worse. Anyway, these two are from the same factory thought, only difference is the color and cell vs wifi version... But both have good displays (no uneven colours, bookspines etc.), so im not sure do i want to try my chance by replacing the other one and get a bad screen or so...

The two places I tried the Air 2 were the San Francisco Best Buy and Costco stores. The demo model in Best Buy exhibited a little of the fingertip ghosting, but not just from holding it - you had to distinctly press the back to get the black spots. The demo in Costco was even better, and had a hard time getting any black spots. The one I ended up buying is more like the Costco one - difficult to get the marks, though not impossible if you really try. To me, it's a non-issue.

 

[Meister]

Yes, it is. Just for the OS it is. If I didn't already have a couple of iPads I'd get the new Air.

 

[Max(IT)]

The two places I tried the Air 2 were the San Francisco Best Buy and Costco stores. The demo model in Best Buy exhibited a little of the fingertip ghosting, but not just from holding it - you had to distinctly press the back to get the black spots. The demo in Costco was even better, and had a hard time getting any black spots. The one I ended up buying is more like the Costco one - difficult to get the marks, though not impossible if you really try. To me, it's a non-issue.

If I do the same on my iPad Air 1 , I could reproduce the same "issue".
It's just something you don't have to do on any device.

 

[Lefty357]

It's just something you don't have to do on any device.

I agree, for most, it will be a non-issue...I did try poking and prodding the Air 1 and it was near impossible to produce the spots, much harder than the Air 2

 

[mangomind]

The only other "annoyance" I'm noticing is that the keyboard is a franction less responsive. It's not unusable but there is a very subtle feeling that the keyboard isn't as fluid as it was on iOS 7.1.2.

The letters still appear at the same time as you press the keys. What you are talking about is the result of Apple increasing the time of highlighting the letter you pressed, in order to show you what you just pressed. It is a very convenient improvement over the iOS 7 keyboard.

 

[UBS28]

I just received my iPad Air 2 and it's the best unit I have ever seen. My display is flawless and nothing like the demo units in the Apple Store. Guess I got lucky