Apple, for the most part tends to drop support when the experience of running the OS on that device is terrible. It's entirely possible that given the other older hardware elements of the iPad 2, that it'd get the axe for iOS 8 support. Plus, people do forget that the task of processing for a larger screen taxes the hardware more. Case in point, the fourth gen iPod touch got iOS 6 when the first gen iPad didn't when the latter had the superior processor. The latter also ran iOS 5 way worse than the former. So there you go. I'd say that comparing the iPad 2 to the 4S and the 5th Gen iPod touch isn't a fair comparison, iPad 2 to the first generation iPad mini brings a much more similar comparison to the table, however./QUOTE]
Given iOS 8 isn't looking to be much different, there is no reason for it to run badly on the iPad 2. The iPad is very very similar to the 4S, the Mini 1 and the touch 5. In fact its got a faster processor than the 4S/Touch 5 plus it has less pixels to push. Given that Apple are almost certainly going to support the 4S/Touch 5 considering neither have reached their 'os support limit' plus the fact they both run iOS 7 well there would be no technical reason whatsoever for it not to run on the iPad 2.
While yes the iPad 1 was pushing less pixels than the iPod touch 4, the iPod was supported because Apple continued selling it. Same with the 3GS. Plus both would have had respectable market shares at the time. In this case the iPad 2 is pushing less pixels than all the other A5 devices besides the Mini 1.
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And what exactly is the difference between 4s, iPod Touch (5th), iPad 2, iPad 3 and mini (1st gen) apart from 4s, Touch has retina display and screen size? Almost zilch.
The iPad 2 is still a beast even though it's old. That's why it's still capable of running iOS 7 today.
Apple stops giving iOS major upgrades to devices when they are NOT capable of running it. If iOS 8 requires 512MB just like iOS 7, it shouldn't have any problem at all. It's rumoured that iOS 8 isn't that much different than 7 anyway!
Yes I expect some iOS 8 features to be stripped from all A5 devices. But I seriously think all A5 devices (that all have 512MB of RAM) will be capable of running 8.
4s, mini (1st gen), iPod Touch (5th), iPad 2 and iPad 3 can't be all axed by Apple for this upgrade. It's way too soon for most of these devices. They just brought iPad 3 back on sale for peaksake, and it's slower than iPad 2 with iOS 7.
Exactly! There is very little difference. I believe that the iPad 2/3/Mini 1 run at 1 GHZ , where as the iPod Touch 5/4S run at 800 Mhz. Essentially, the iPad 2 has more grunt, and no retina display meaning less energy to be spent! The iPad 3 has a better graphics chip (The A5X) than the 2, but the advantage of this is completely swallowed by the Retina display.
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The "no longer on sale" part really doesn't matter all that much and I'm surprised to see so many people citing it for their reasoning. Internal tech specs tend to be the primary factor; though I'll never know why the iPhone 3GS got iOS 6 and the third gen iPod touch didn't when the latter had faster internals than the former.
The iPod touch 3 was pretty much the same as the 3GS... from what I understood the 3GS was a little better? The 3GS got iOS 6 because it was sold right up until the iPhone 6 launch. Apple don't drop devices they are still selling. Plus the 3GS actually ran iOS 6 well, better than the iPod Touch 4.
