If the iPad 2 still does everything someone wants then there's still no compelling reason to upgrade. There's no wow factor here. Nothing that makes someone say I gotta have this! Sure, maybe the price will lure some in, but as I've said before, I don't think price is an issue. If you release an iPad with features that make someone want to buy it, they'll buy it at yesterday's prices. I don't really see where at least on the consumer side where price has been an issue as of late. Even when the US was in a recession Apple had record sales.
I finally upgraded my iPad2 to a 9.7" Pro last year at launch. While it was great for a few years, iPad 2 performance lagged considerably starting with iOS8 and was almost useless by iOS9. Also, many newer apps and games just didn't work well with the older hardware and less memory. My wife lived with hers for a few more months before relenting to an upgrade in December. She knew it was time when she picked up my iPad Pro whenever I wasn't using it, rather than her own. At $329, I think this is a pretty compelling reason to upgrade.
How about some new creative possibilities for older iPads.
I have one...
Using Duet I can add Touchbar to my desktop Mac. But I would prefer an iPad app that just gives me Touchbar plus touchpad and keyboard - making it a very capable input device.
Connected to the Mac by USB, the battery condition isn't important and would give responsiveness. Not connected to the internet.
A cheap (using an older iPad) and very enabling input device.
If it was more powerful software wise, I'd upgrade from my iPad 2, which I never use now. Its OS is just way too limited as I've said before. I spend more time fighting the OS than actually producing anything on it. My Macbook on the other hand I can do anything I want, easily. iPads force you into an Apple-mandated workflow, which is great if your workflow fits Apple's idea of how you should work; if not, iOS is hell to use. Multitasking is still a pig, and a touch interface is simply much slower for many things than a mouse-driven one, mainly because iOS is waiting for a double tap all the time which might not happen.
why are you trying to force you iPad to be a Mac?
I don't see Elijahg wanting to do that. Changes to software to handle capabilities of a desktop within an OS built for touch input, right from the start, would be very compelling. And just an iOS upgrade away. Why hasn't Apple done it?
Seems a bit odd if this doesn't have a laminated screen. The Air 1 didn't have a laminated screen and it was far more fragile compared to the Air 2.
The screen on the new iPad is the only negative which would lead me to hesitate getting one.
The screen is not laminated and this new iPad screen doesn't have an antireflective coating.
I would rather get a refurbished Air 2.
the weight and A9 makes this an insta-upgrade from iPad2-4
Only if you care about weight and faster processor. As the OP said, if it continues to do what the consumer bought it for, there's really no reason to upgrade - for a lot of people, increased resolution or speed of CPU is of no value as they just use it for recipes, basic surfing, etc. While the newer devices are lighter, most would not think that improvement worth another $330.
I'm guessing the non laminated screens is because it makes it easier to repair if they break. Those things will likely be pushed into the education market like there is no tomorrow at a discount. Probably $275 a pop in lots of 30. The durability of these things, especially in a good case, compared to chromebooks is astronomical..
While some users of iPad 2 are hanging on, it's the battery that will kick them off in the end.
I have an iPad 2, and it was still very usable apart from a few websites (notably eBay) giving me trouble, but then a couple of months ago I made the mistake of downloading the latest OS (I think I had stopped at 6), and since then I have found it basically unusable for anything I want to do (mostly Internet browsing). The new OS also made the battery last nowhere near as long, and I haven't really gotten used to the idea that suddenly it has to be recharged much more frequently even though I'm almost never using it. It's definitely not the fault of the battery, it's the OS. I guess you just need a lot more power with this OS, so you could make the argument that it's the battery, but not because it's old--it's because the OS isn't suited to the hardware.
Did you go up to 9.3.5? the early versions of 9 were terrible on the Ipad 2, the later ones are not as bad. If you want to upgrade to a new version, always read the reviews for the device you have first, then if it is mostly OK, upgrade say on day 3 , try it extensively for the next few days and then reinstall the old one that is still signed if you don't like it. That way you won't ever have some problem with upgrading the OS and making the device slow as sludge. If you wait too long to upgrade, then you can't go back.
If the iPad 2 still does everything someone wants then there's still no compelling reason to upgrade. There's no wow factor here. Nothing that makes someone say I gotta have this! Sure, maybe the price will lure some in, but as I've said before, I don't think price is an issue. If you release an iPad with features that make someone want to buy it, they'll buy it at yesterday's prices. I don't really see where at least on the consumer side where price has been an issue as of late. Even when the US was in a recession Apple had record sales.
the weight and A9 makes this an insta-upgrade from iPad2-4
No it doesn't. This heavily used iPad 4 (currently main home machine as iMac video card died and I won't pay a premium price for two gen old current iMac. Waiting, waiting) still works OK, starting to lag a bit, not as bad as our iPad 2 though, so OK. But increased snappiness is not enough. I will keep on plodding with the iPad 4. Maybe if the iPad 2 was all we had..
What this enforced iPad only experience has taught me is that what iPad needs is a better, more flexible and powerful iOS. The hardware is fine. But it will not be a desktop replacement until it can manage groups of files, as one example of a long list that is pretty much all software based with the exception of maybe, a USB port. But a non phone iOS is what it needs to be an Insta-upgrade.
There is a subtle distinction that many don't get. Apple is not advertising (nor targeting) the iPad as a "desktop replacement" by replicating PC functions, but rather as a great "computer" for many that don't need those functions. I am pretty sure that Apple is NEVER going to add a user-visible file system, mouse, pure USB port, Terminal, etc - to the iPad. They already make a Mac for that. The iPad is a great computer for those that don't want or need the complexity of a file system & indirect UI with mouse, prefer touch based system as it is easier to understand, like the more secure system, mobility, etc. The iPad "feature gaps" you note are by design.
I do hope that Apple does continue to add new s/w and h/w features specific to iPad to improve is usefulness, enable more use cases, support new workflows, etc. We saw this bit s/w wise in IOS9, and of course h/w wise with the Pro lineup. It definitely needs more functionality for keyboard navigation. Handwriting recognition for small tasks like markups, notes, etc - would definitely enhance its value. Continue to take the friction out of some multi-tasking.
the weight and A9 makes this an insta-upgrade from iPad2-4
Only if you care about weight and faster processor. As the OP said, if it continues to do what the consumer bought it for, there's really no reason to upgrade - for a lot of people, increased resolution or speed of CPU is of no value as they just use it for recipes, basic surfing, etc. While the newer devices are lighter, most would not think that improvement worth another $330.
Web sites are getting more and more javascripty and that alone is forcing upgrades to quicker tablets. Also, even my mother's tablet (a 16gb air 2) is always full of crap (photos, downloaded videos, big apps) and she regrets not buying a bigger one.
If the iPad 2 still does everything someone wants then there's still no compelling reason to upgrade. There's no wow factor here. Nothing that makes someone say I gotta have this! Sure, maybe the price will lure some in, but as I've said before, I don't think price is an issue. If you release an iPad with features that make someone want to buy it, they'll buy it at yesterday's prices. I don't really see where at least on the consumer side where price has been an issue as of late. Even when the US was in a recession Apple had record sales.
I think you're approaching it from the wrong perspective. Today's iPad isn't loaded with features, and never was intended to be so. There are compelling reasons for an iPad 4 owner to upgrade, not the least of which is that the end of the security line is approaching very fast.
The iPad 4 is four and a half years old. That $70 less today, with more speed than the previous cost? That's pretty compelling to an end-user "iPad as Appliance" user.
If you don't need speed, then there's no compelling reason to upgrade. My mom uses an iPad 2 plugged into the wall to draw, paint and browse the web. It does everything she wants. Unless the screen dies, there's no reason for her to upgrade. Security? Not one person I know - ever - since iPads have existed has ever had a security problem.
Thankfully Apple's target audience for the new iPad is not just 70 year olds
We're big Apple fans in our family. We had 2 of the original iPad, iPad 3s, and currently have 2 iPad Airs. They came out in November 2013, so I guess they're about 3.5 years old now. While I gave mine to the mother-in-law (because I just use my iPhone or MBP), my wife uses hers every single day after work - and her battery is still very strong. Hard for me to believe other posters' comments that iPad 2-4 might have battery issues - at least for the casual users like my wife....the types of folks who haven't upgraded to the latest kit yet. I know we're not the "target" audience for Apple's latest, but we're next up, I guess. But I don't see anything compelling for casual users in either the iPad Air 2 or the Pro models. For web surfing, emailing, iMessaging, watching videos, Air'playing content to the TV (usually from within Amazon app because Apple TV still doesn't carry Amazon - shame on Amazon!) - there really is no motivation to upgrade.
Personally, I think the iPad has "peaked" around the Air. No shame in that. Aside from the use cases I gave above, there really isn't a mass market desire. Sure, there are a few folks who will truly benefit from the "Pro" models (e.g. artists), but not that many. While they *could* be desktop replacements for many, most people will just continue using laptops/desktops, because they're cheap and they already do what they want in the way they're accustomed to doing them.
I'm looking for the day when an iPhone simply plugs into tablet screens, laptop bodies, etc., providing everything but the screen & other peripherals.
the weight and A9 makes this an insta-upgrade from iPad2-4
Only if you care about weight and faster processor. As the OP said, if it continues to do what the consumer bought it for, there's really no reason to upgrade - for a lot of people, increased resolution or speed of CPU is of no value as they just use it for recipes, basic surfing, etc. While the newer devices are lighter, most would not think that improvement worth another $330.
There are of course groups of people that approach upgrades differently. For some iPad users, they won't upgrade until the device no longer works - period. Others though (or people who buy for them) may determine that this new offering at $329 makes sense for a 4 year old device, just to take some friction points out.
Weight in a mobile device is always important. The ability to hold a new iPad vs. iPad 2-4 for a length of time is quite dramatic.
You use the term "faster CPU" as though the difference is like the PC world of late - where there is little change YoY and little visible change to usability. iPads 2 & 3 at least are very slow to use now. It is very noticeable - the improvement with an Air or greater is profound.
If the iPad 2 still does everything someone wants then there's still no compelling reason to upgrade. There's no wow factor here. Nothing that makes someone say I gotta have this! Sure, maybe the price will lure some in, but as I've said before, I don't think price is an issue. If you release an iPad with features that make someone want to buy it, they'll buy it at yesterday's prices. I don't really see where at least on the consumer side where price has been an issue as of late. Even when the US was in a recession Apple had record sales.
I think you're approaching it from the wrong perspective. Today's iPad isn't loaded with features, and never was intended to be so. There are compelling reasons for an iPad 4 owner to upgrade, not the least of which is that the end of the security line is approaching very fast.
The iPad 4 is four and a half years old. That $70 less today, with more speed than the previous cost? That's pretty compelling to an end-user "iPad as Appliance" user.
If you don't need speed, then there's no compelling reason to upgrade. My mom uses an iPad 2 plugged into the wall to draw, paint and browse the web. It does everything she wants. Unless the screen dies, there's no reason for her to upgrade. Security? Not one person I know - ever - since iPads have existed has ever had a security problem.
Thankfully Apple's target audience for the new iPad is not just 70 year olds
We're big Apple fans in our family. We had 2 of the original iPad, iPad 3s, and currently have 2 iPad Airs. They came out in November 2013, so I guess they're about 3.5 years old now. While I gave mine to the mother-in-law (because I just use my iPhone or MBP), my wife uses hers every single day after work - and her battery is still very strong. Hard for me to believe other posters' comments that iPad 2-4 might have battery issues - at least for the casual users like my wife....the types of folks who haven't upgraded to the latest kit yet. I know we're not the "target" audience for Apple's latest, but we're next up, I guess. But I don't see anything compelling for casual users in either the iPad Air 2 or the Pro models. For web surfing, emailing, iMessaging, watching videos, Air'playing content to the TV (usually from within Amazon app because Apple TV still doesn't carry Amazon - shame on Amazon!) - there really is no motivation to upgrade.
Personally, I think the iPad has "peaked" around the Air. No shame in that. Aside from the use cases I gave above, there really isn't a mass market desire. Sure, there are a few folks who will truly benefit from the "Pro" models (e.g. artists), but not that many. While they *could* be desktop replacements for many, most people will just continue using laptops/desktops, because they're cheap and they already do what they want in the way they're accustomed to doing them.
I'm looking for the day when an iPhone simply plugs into tablet screens, laptop bodies, etc., providing everything but the screen & other peripherals.
Normal charge full charge cycle for the Ipad 2 would likely be around 600-700 times (which rarely happen for a tablet but does happen for phones). If you charge when partially discharged and never go to 100%,you could charge about 1200 times before you get a substantial degradation of the battery. Battery last longer if it mostly stays in between 20-80% all the time. So, about 4 years of regular use (and not letting sit at 0% when storing it) is when you start to feel your battery always need to be recharged. If your use is a bit more occasional, it could take about 6 years to get to this point. That happens when the first Ipad because a secondary device.
So, for most Ipad 2 and 3 users, the combination of degraded battery for most users, the ever resource hungry web sites, the fact those old devices don't integrate as well with their other IOS devices, the ever increasing size and resource usage of apps, video, photos which taxes their storage, the fact its impossible to find new apps for old IOS devices (try it) and the security implications of not upgrading, make it a no brainer especially with the weight, better screen, better camera, network and touch ID as a bonus.
So, I think their main target for this device are the Ipad 2 and 3 owners
The Ipad 4 has some of those incentives but not all, it's a borderline case, mostly heavy tablet user would be compelled to upgrade (but they would likely have upgraded already to an Air 2 already).
For an Ipad air or air 2 user, only the need for more space would be compelling an upgrade, the processor is still up to the task.
One wonders what the author means by his opening statement "While the rumored iPad Pro refresh has yet to happen ..." since Apple has just announced a REFRESHED 9.7" iPad Pro with an A9 chip and specs superior to the 12.9" Pro. WTF is he talking about? The major problem with Apple's iPads is that they are SO well built and last SOOOOO long that the market is kind of saturated with them. Just about everyone I know owns from 2 - 5 iPads and they just keep working and working. I own 2 iPad 1's (Wi-Fi only) -- yes, 1's -- and I use both absolutely every day for all sorts of things when I'm not on my MacBook Pro, iPhone, or iMac: Wikipedia, IMdb, Amazon Prime, Netflix, YouTube, photo albums, iTunes music, reading books and magazines, weather, card games, TV Guide, and on and on. They don't even have cameras but they're not missed since all my other devices have cameras. Yes, they're stuck at iOS5 but none of the apps that I use seem to be bothered by that limitation so far. I would like to get a new iPad and was hoping that Apple would be introducing a Pro model sized between the 9.7" and 12.9" models, that has all of the features of the just REFRESHED 9.7" Pro model, but it looks like that was just a wild-assed speculative rumor and is not likely to happen now. I guess I'll be 'forced' to get the smaller iPad Pro with the A9 chip. So then I'll have 3 functioning iPads. Darn ...
One wonders what the author means by his opening statement "While the rumored iPad Pro refresh has yet to happen ..." since Apple has just announced a REFRESHED 9.7" iPad Pro with an A9 chip and specs superior to the 12.9" Pro. WTF is he talking about? The major problem with Apple's iPads is that they are SO well built and last SOOOOO long that the market is kind of saturated with them. Just about everyone I know owns from 2 - 5 iPads and they just keep working and working. I own 2 iPad 1's (Wi-Fi only) -- yes, 1's -- and I use both absolutely every day for all sorts of things when I'm not on my MacBook Pro, iPhone, or iMac: Wikipedia, IMdb, Amazon Prime, Netflix, YouTube, photo albums, iTunes music, reading books and magazines, weather, card games, TV Guide, and on and on. They don't even have cameras but they're not missed since all my other devices have cameras. Yes, they're stuck at iOS5 but none of the apps that I use seem to be bothered by that limitation so far. I would like to get a new iPad and was hoping that Apple would be introducing a Pro model sized between the 9.7" and 12.9" models, that has all of the features of the just REFRESHED 9.7" Pro model, but it looks like that was just a wild-assed speculative rumor and is not likely to happen now. I guess I'll be 'forced' to get the smaller iPad Pro with the A9 chip. So then I'll have 3 functioning iPads. Darn ...
Well, wait a while short while to see if indeed the pro gets a refresh (say within 1.5 months), if not it will likely get s fall refresh with the 10.5 inch screen being an almost certainty for the small one. The first Ipad is OK (but far from great) if your not doing a major amount of web browsing (say consuming videos, reading books, listening to audio), otherwise it sucks ass.Web sites now are getting more and more like apps
Passed my old iPad2 to my mom, she uses it for occasional email and skype with the kids and grandkids and searching for something on the web a couple of times a week. There's absolutely no compelling reason to upgrade for people like her and she'll use it until the battery dies or she drops & breaks it. I would imagine my mom is very typical of older generations use of the original few releases of the iPad. Dad got my old iPhone5 a few weeks ago when I bought a 7p. But he really liked his old Nokia.
My daughter aged 4 got access to the iPad4 and now she's the main user. She's used it for 3 years now for educational games and when we travel. Again, no compelling reason to upgrade for that age group or demograph and my mom will probably get that one as an upgrade next year - Dad'll get the old one :-)
Me, I'm an IT guy, I'll get the new iPadPro when it turns up and it'll have probably a 2 year lifespan for me. Eventually this will trickle back down the family, probably to my daughter for a year or so then on to other wider family members.
I'm betting millions of people have the same trickle down to family members or they sell them off to someone who'll use the old gear in a less intensive way and be happy with it until it breaks.
Do they need to latest iOS on the devices ? No.
Will they rush out and pay $300 to replace something that works in their lifestyle? No, it'd be a waste of their money or it'd be extremely unlikely.
It's always been this way since desktop computers arrived...I've lost count of the number I've handed-on, given away, sold to friends who have less demanding needs then me.
If it was more powerful software wise, I'd upgrade from my iPad 2, which I never use now. Its OS is just way too limited as I've said before. I spend more time fighting the OS than actually producing anything on it. My Macbook on the other hand I can do anything I want, easily. iPads force you into an Apple-mandated workflow, which is great if your workflow fits Apple's idea of how you should work; if not, iOS is hell to use. Multitasking is still a pig, and a touch interface is simply much slower for many things than a mouse-driven one, mainly because iOS is waiting for a double tap all the time which might not happen.
why are you trying to force you iPad to be a Mac?
I think iOS has serious issues that need to be solved. It's not about forcing one thing to be another. Both need to select text, for example. Both need to send files etc but iOS is awful at these tasks.
One wonders what the author means by his opening statement "While the rumored iPad Pro refresh has yet to happen ..." since Apple has just announced a REFRESHED 9.7" iPad Pro with an A9 chip and specs superior to the 12.9" Pro. WTF is he talking about? The major problem with Apple's iPads is that they are SO well built and last SOOOOO long that the market is kind of saturated with them. Just about everyone I know owns from 2 - 5 iPads and they just keep working and working. I own 2 iPad 1's (Wi-Fi only) -- yes, 1's -- and I use both absolutely every day for all sorts of things when I'm not on my MacBook Pro, iPhone, or iMac: Wikipedia, IMdb, Amazon Prime, Netflix, YouTube, photo albums, iTunes music, reading books and magazines, weather, card games, TV Guide, and on and on. They don't even have cameras but they're not missed since all my other devices have cameras. Yes, they're stuck at iOS5 but none of the apps that I use seem to be bothered by that limitation so far. I would like to get a new iPad and was hoping that Apple would be introducing a Pro model sized between the 9.7" and 12.9" models, that has all of the features of the just REFRESHED 9.7" Pro model, but it looks like that was just a wild-assed speculative rumor and is not likely to happen now. I guess I'll be 'forced' to get the smaller iPad Pro with the A9 chip. So then I'll have 3 functioning iPads. Darn ...
The author meant exactly what he said. The iPad today isn't in Apple's "Pro" line and is specced accordingly. Both the 9.7- and 12.9-inch iPad Pros have the faster A9X processor.
We are expecting a "Pro" refresh at some point this year, with that middle size that you're referring to.
Why'd they take away anti-reflective coating and the laminated display? My iPad 2 v2 still gets 10-11 hours battery life, i picked up the version with the shrunken die which at launch gave me around 15 hours battery life. The negatives now is that i can only have 1 tab open in safari now and it sometimes crashes if i load too much by continuously scrolling down. Netflix works fine still. I would of upgraded if they put 2GB of ram and made the minimum 64GB of space. Maybe the extra thickness in the new ipad is for more battery? hopefully tested. I'll wait another year till my ipad 2 dies.
Extra thickness is because the display is no longer laminated compared to Air 2. I agree they should have kept the anti-reflection and laminated display in this model.
Comments
The screen on the new iPad is the only negative which would lead me to hesitate getting one.
The screen is not laminated and this new iPad screen doesn't have an antireflective coating.
I would rather get a refurbished Air 2.
If you want to upgrade to a new version, always read the reviews for the device you have first, then if it is mostly OK, upgrade say on day 3 , try it extensively for the next few days and then reinstall the old one that is still signed if you don't like it. That way you won't ever have some problem with upgrading the OS and making the device slow as sludge.
If you wait too long to upgrade, then you can't go back.
I do hope that Apple does continue to add new s/w and h/w features specific to iPad to improve is usefulness, enable more use cases, support new workflows, etc. We saw this bit s/w wise in IOS9, and of course h/w wise with the Pro lineup. It definitely needs more functionality for keyboard navigation. Handwriting recognition for small tasks like markups, notes, etc - would definitely enhance its value. Continue to take the friction out of some multi-tasking.
Personally, I think the iPad has "peaked" around the Air. No shame in that. Aside from the use cases I gave above, there really isn't a mass market desire. Sure, there are a few folks who will truly benefit from the "Pro" models (e.g. artists), but not that many. While they *could* be desktop replacements for many, most people will just continue using laptops/desktops, because they're cheap and they already do what they want in the way they're accustomed to doing them.
I'm looking for the day when an iPhone simply plugs into tablet screens, laptop bodies, etc., providing everything but the screen & other peripherals.
Weight in a mobile device is always important. The ability to hold a new iPad vs. iPad 2-4 for a length of time is quite dramatic.
You use the term "faster CPU" as though the difference is like the PC world of late - where there is little change YoY and little visible change to usability. iPads 2 & 3 at least are very slow to use now. It is very noticeable - the improvement with an Air or greater is profound.
So, about 4 years of regular use (and not letting sit at 0% when storing it) is when you start to feel your battery always need to be recharged.
If your use is a bit more occasional, it could take about 6 years to get to this point. That happens when the first Ipad because a secondary device.
So, for most Ipad 2 and 3 users, the combination of degraded battery for most users, the ever resource hungry web sites, the fact those old devices don't integrate as well with their other IOS devices, the ever increasing size and resource usage of apps, video, photos which taxes their storage, the fact its impossible to find new apps for old IOS devices (try it) and the security implications of not upgrading, make it a no brainer especially with the weight, better screen, better camera, network and touch ID as a bonus.
So, I think their main target for this device are the Ipad 2 and 3 owners
The Ipad 4 has some of those incentives but not all, it's a borderline case, mostly heavy tablet user would be compelled to upgrade (but they would likely have upgraded already to an Air 2 already).
For an Ipad air or air 2 user, only the need for more space would be compelling an upgrade, the processor is still up to the task.
The first Ipad is OK (but far from great) if your not doing a major amount of web browsing (say consuming videos, reading books, listening to audio), otherwise it sucks ass.Web sites now are getting more and more like apps