Apple has every reason to support the iPad 2. Massive installed user base, the fact they will support other A5 devices that have only small hardware differences and the fact they sold it till recently. If it was sold with a sticker 'This iPad will not support iOS 8 that would be fine, but it was sold as a perfectly good iPad by most stores) . If its dropped it will be due to greed. And I guess here we go again. My iPad 2 runs iOS 7 very well and I'd expect iOS 8 to run on it as well.
I have no problem with your argument. Nor do I have a problem with your repetition of it. But it loses weight when the only things you say to support it are "iOS 7 runs great on MY iPad" and "if they drop support, it'd be greed given the user base", especially after others and I have poked holes in those arguments. If you poked holes in our hole-pokes of your argument, then we can have a proper debate about it that actually goes somewhere.
That being said, again, here's why I disagree:
1. Apple has been known to drop hardware support in major OS releases in hardware that is otherwise fast enough for the OS for the following reasons:
-Simplify OS development (examples: PowerPC in 10.6, Early Core 2 Duo Macs and the first generation Mac Pro in 10.8, iOS 6 on the third generation iPod touch [which is faster than the iPhone 3GS])
-New OS wouldn't run well (examples: iOS 6 with first generation iPad)
2. The A5 processor in the iPad 2
is the only thing that it has in common with the other A5 devices save for the screen resolution that it has in common with the first generation iPad mini. Just about every other under-the-hood component is different or newer/superior in some way. Given point #1, Apple may drop support for it on those grounds, simply to simplify development of the OS (i.e. update drivers)
3. It's possible that while iOS 7 runs passably on the iPad 2 and that while iOS 8 might run on it as well, that performance might be akin to or worse than iOS 5.1.1's performance on the original iPad. Given the first generation iPad mini's performance on iOS 7 (and given that they have, as you like pointing out, the same CPU), I don't see this being unlikely. As an iPad 2 owner, I'd rather be left behind than be given an iOS update that will end up making my iPad 2 run as poorly. I seriously have a hard time understanding why you don't agree with this point at the very least.
4. Apple tends to not drop support for a device because they want money. They tend to drop support for a device because they either want to simplify development, because they have to drop support for a specific component, or both. This is, at worst, to SAVE money, not to make it. If Apple drops support for the iPad 2, it will be for these reasons. That being said, if you want to place blame on Apple for "greed" the action to do so with would be their continued sale of the iPad 2 for two and a half generations past its discontinuation and not their inevitable discontinuation of support for it. Selling the iPad 2 alongside anything other than the third generation iPad was poor for consumers.
5. Massive user base is not an issue for Apple as, regardless of what device you own, it is inevitable that you will replace it with something newer. People who were early adopters of the iPad 2 are more or less prepared for this. People who bought it later in the game are more likely than not comfortable with the fact that they won't get the newest OS or they're ignorant of what that even means.
Now, this having been said, please address my response to your stance so this debate can actually move forward or concede to agree to disagree.
