I haven’t done the math, and now I can’t look it up, but if that’s true, then you have another reason to get the 9th gen iPad.
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iPad Smart or stupid to buy 9th iPad now?
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The 5th-gen iPad Air has way too much power when compared to the 9th-gen iPad to get the same support. It’s highly likely to be supported for far longer. For content consumption it wouldn’t matter much, however. And I’d recommend never to update regardless (I have an iPad Air 5... running iPadOS 15).
They go by the last day it's sold as the current model, not by the year of introduction. The 2014 Mac mini is still supported running Monterey because it was the current model until 2018.
Anyway, if it serves your needs by all means wait for a sale and grab one. I'm fine with mine, but I have a real computer for actual work.
The iPad Pros tend to be supported longer.
For example, the iPad Pro 12.9 (A9X/4GB) was released in 2015 while the iPad 5th gen (A9/2GB) was released in 2017. I believe neither are getting iPadOS 17 so that’s around 2 extra years of support for the Pro.
The 2017 iPad Pros will get the iPadOS 17 update.
Mind, I find the user experience on the Pro with 4GB RAM to be much better than regular iPad with just 2GB especially with newer firmware.
Given the 9th gen is around 1/2 price of the Air and almost 1/3 the price of the Pro though, the 9th gen is still a good option for light use.
Not really, they were still officially selling Apple Watch Series 3 the second before they replaced it with SE and ended the 3 series got new watchOS right after they got it out of official Apple website.
Anyone looking for a not so new iPad or iPhone to limit the costs, try to find a device that is released no more than two years earlier. Especially if you want to use current apps and digital services. Older devices might not be compatible anymore (DRM for example).
Our youngest (5) has a iPad Air
For example, the Disney+ app is not updated anymore for iOS12. Existing bugs remain. One is whenever this app is automatically removed from the internal storage, I have to fully delete it, download, install it and fill in the credentials before it can be used again. Sometimes episodes that were downloaded into the local storage cannot be deleted until the iPad is restarted.
But the biggest limite since it is iOS 12, it has no access to AppleTV+ and Apple Arcade. Also the movies in our digital library (iTunes movies) are visible but won't play (probably due to newer DRM which iOS12 does not support).
Then there's an issue with newer bluetooth headsets not reconnecting after a day or 2. Restarting the iPad often helps. Probably a bluetooth version compatibility issue. I experienced the same with an Apple bluetooth keyboard that came with a Mac mini in 2009. It works fine with all Apple stuff from the same period, but acts erratic when connected to our 2019 iPad or any other bluetooth device version 4.0 or higher.
(edited: typo in iPad model)
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You are plain wrong. Microcenter has the 9th gen iPad in stock ready for pickup for $250, right now, every day, that's currently the regular price. Apple's refurbished price of $279 is clearly a ripoff when you pay more for a unit that contains used hardware. Amazon had it in stock at $270 previously too.
So OP should just get a new 9th gen from a retailer instead of paying this absurd Apple tax.
I have mentioned refurbished can make sense, but that's with the higher configuration iPad Pros where you can actually save hundreds. The cheapest models are better bought elsewhere.
Absolutely, I wouldn’t buy a device on iOS 12 now, both for compatibility reasons and for performance reasons: The iPad Air 1 isn’t particularly great on iOS 12, both battery life and performance-wise.
I have always said that the negative consequences of being on an earlier iOS version were vastly overstated, but I wouldn’t start the journey by being (soon) five versions behind. You will start with compatibility issues right away, and it’s not ideal.
I meant that for content consumption you don’t need the M1, any iPad that’s compatible with what you need will suffice.
I know, I assume it was a mistake on their part, because they said Air 2 but they also said that it was stuck on iOS 12, so I assumed it was the Air 1.
Unless they kept it on iOS 12 like I kept my 9.7-inch iPad Pro... but almost nobody does that.
Anyway air 2 with iOS 15 still works fine nowadays, I don’t even remember iOS 17 is coming.
I just bought a 9th as I don’t require all the bells and whistles for an iPad. If I were getting a computer, I would get the newest model, but an iPad is more for casual use and to run one app at a time. I figured why spend the extra money?
It's almost like we're talking about a multi trillion dollar company who knows how to keep their products in stock.
We were talking specifically about the value of Apple Refurb vs Apple full price not being enough because it's not "brand new" according to OP. Nothing about third party retailer prices. I don't think you read what I was responding to but for next time, context matters.
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Yeah, performance-wise it should be a lot better than the Air 1 according to what I’ve read. Battery life if the issue.
Are you more inclined to go for the 9th-gen? As always, there’s a variety of opinions.
Thx for all suggestions. I will wait for Sept to see what will happen. If 9th gen is still a good choice but not available in Apple Store anymore, I just buy from Apple Renew.
I have an OG 2013 iPad Air on iOS 12 and I agree with your experience. It feels very sloppy and old.
Also what others said above is true, maybe iOS 12 was a great system to stay on in 2019 or even 2020, but nowadays many apps are no longer compatible and it doesn’t receive security updates anymore.
While I agree that staying on an operating system that works well is a good option (i.e. I am using an iPhone 8 with iOS 15 to type this), once this system becomes 2, 3 yo or even older it starts to give more compatibility problems, both with third party apps and iCloud services.
That’s why the iPad 9 is such a great value. It runs iPadOS 16, 17, and will probably run iPadOS 18 and 19, and if you add to that a couple of years of security support, that gives you a fully functional iPad for the next 4 to 5 years. After that, I don’t think it will become unusable because it’s plenty powerful (especially if we take into account that it’s powered by an A13 and 3GB of RAM), so I think it’s a great deal for someone who wants a good, affordable iPad with a headphone jack.
I don’t have an iPad Air 1, but I based this on tests I’ve performed on an iPhone 6 on iOS 12, and of what I’ve read about it. Yeah, not very surprising. Conversely, I do have the 9.7-inch iPad Pro on iOS 12, and that one is infinitely better. Battery life is still very good (relative to itself on iPadOS 16, around 23% worse than it was on iOS 9), and performance is very good too. It’s not perfect on either category (like it was on iOS 9), but it is certainly usable.
Some compatibility issues are there, but I’d still call it mostly usable, unlike iOS 10, for example. I also have an iPhone 6s on iOS 10, and that one has a lot of compatibility issues.
I’d go a little further than that. I have an iPhone Xʀ on iOS 12 (my main iPhone), and compatibility is mostly fine, like I said.
I think this is the most important part: totally usable for a while, far more affordable than other alternatives, the final iteration of the beloved home button design, and the final iteration with a headphone jack. What’s there not to like?
Why did you make this thread if you where never going to buy one in the first place 😑
It's the last iPad with the headphone jack. Given Apple policies, the jack may be ditched in the next iteration. I find wired sound far superior to Bluetooth: I have tested them one after another, and the difference is obvious. I also had some unpleasant feeling in my head when listening wirelessly.
Wired earbuds are also way cheaper: EarPods cost $19, while basic AirPods start from $129 and are disposable as soon as the battery depletes.
I use an iPad 6th gen that's a few generations back, only has 2 GB of RAM, and it's fine for my needs: browsing, YouTube, gaming and the like. It's still supported, and even when it stops receiving new iOS versions, I think it will get security updates and be perfectly fine for a few more years.
The only downside is that shortly after I switch to the new app, the previous one is lost (gets reloaded). I'm fine with that, as I don't multitask.
P.S. I would also check if it doesn't cause you eyestrain. Some people, including myself, cannot use newer Apple tech due to eyestrain from screens.
Wired earbuds are also way cheaper: EarPods cost $19, while basic AirPods start from $129 and are disposable as soon as the battery depletes.
I use an iPad 6th gen that's a few generations back, only has 2 GB of RAM, and it's fine for my needs: browsing, YouTube, gaming and the like. It's still supported, and even when it stops receiving new iOS versions, I think it will get security updates and be perfectly fine for a few more years.
The only downside is that shortly after I switch to the new app, the previous one is lost (gets reloaded). I'm fine with that, as I don't multitask.
P.S. I would also check if it doesn't cause you eyestrain. Some people, including myself, cannot use newer Apple tech due to eyestrain from screens.