Apple declares iPad 2 obsolete eight years after Steve Jobs launched it

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Apple has updated its list of 'vintage and obsolete products' with the addition of the iPad 2, the last device that Steve Jobs launched at an Apple event.




Apple has formally added the iPad 2, both Wi-Fi-only and cellular models, to its list of 'vintage and obsolete products.' The two are effectively the same for most users as they mean that repairs requiring any new parts cannot be performed. However, legal requirements in California and Turkey mean that Apple must continue some level of service for them until 2021.

At the March 2011 Apple event, Steve Jobs returned from his health-related leave of absence specifically to launch the iPad 2. "We've been working on this product for a while and I didn't want to miss today," he said.

He said that the original iPad had been such a success that this year could've been "the year of the copycats" as everyone launched a tablet.

"Most of these tablets aren't even catching up with the first iPad," Jobs said. "But we haven't been resting on our laurels. It is an all-new design. And the first thing is, it's dramatically faster."




The iPad 2 continued to be manufactured until March 2014, which means it was discontinued five years ago. By Apple's definition, that makes the iPad 2 'vintage'.

"Vintage products are those that have not been manufactured for more than 5 and less than 7 years ago," explains Apple's newly updated support page. "Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than 7 years ago. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products."

That page details the California and Turkey exceptions for the Mac, iPod and iPhone but not the iPad. Nonetheless, all models of the iPad 2 are then listed as being officially "vintage in the U.S. and Turkey and obsolete in the rest of the world."

California's civil code on sale warranties, section 1793.03, mandates when a product can be rendered obsolete. "Every manufacturer [of an] electronic or appliance product... with a wholesale price to the retailer of one hundred dollars ($100) or more, shall make available to service and repair facilities sufficient service literature and functional parts to effect the repair of a product for at least seven years after the date a product model or type was manufactured," it says.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    EsquireCatsEsquireCats Posts: 1,268member
    It's kind of crazy to think that companies need to stock parts for 7 year old electronic devices. I can understand this being the case for appliances like a fridge or a lawn mower. But electronic devices of today are significantly different from those of 7 years ago; a lawn mower or fridge - they're practically unchanged in the last 20-30 years. (Hell so many tech companies of 7 years ago don't even exist anymore.)
    edited May 2019 StrangeDayscurtis hannahwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 21
    larryalarrya Posts: 606member
    Who's taking an iPad 2 in for a $100(?) repair, when new ones are $249 on Amazon?
    EsquireCatscurtis hannah
  • Reply 3 of 21
    the monkthe monk Posts: 93member
    Haha, good! Hung on to my iPad 2 until January of this year. The iOS updates that were suppose to make legacy products work faster didn’t apply to this one,
    Bombdoe
  • Reply 4 of 21
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    The iPad 2 was our first one. Loved it. It was a workhorse. I've moved on to later more powerful systems, but you never forget your first.
    cornchipsupadav03watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 21
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,945member
    DAalseth said:
    The iPad 2 was our first one. Loved it. It was a workhorse. I've moved on to later more powerful systems, but you never forget your first.

    Same here. Great product.

    supadav03watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 21
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    DAalseth said:
    The iPad 2 was our first one. Loved it. It was a workhorse. I've moved on to later more powerful systems, but you never forget your first.
    Me too. Still use mine as a second TV sometimes using my cable companies app. Watching something on the TV while keeping an eye on the ball game.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 21
    supadav03supadav03 Posts: 503member
    Goodbye old friend. The iPad 2 was maybe the best piece of tech I’ve ever seen. Stayed viable for so long. Basically set the standard for all tablets. Mine survived through me, my wife, then three of my kids. 
    curtis hannahwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 21
    davendaven Posts: 696member
    I still have my original iPad. I don't use it that often but there are a few games on it I play on occasion. Kind of fun to fire it up for nostalgia.
    MisterKitwatto_cobraDogperson
  • Reply 9 of 21
    jdmac29jdmac29 Posts: 42member
    My mother has an ipad 2. It is slow but still usable.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 21
    I have my iPad 2. It will complete 8 years of daily use next month (I was slow to place the order, and the line got BIG!). It still gives me a solid 8 hours on use. My main complain is that it is slow to open iBooks (iOS 9 name of Books), which is my main activity with it.

    I expect its battery to simply fail any day now. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if it took some years still. I thought about getting a new one many times, but I simply can’t justify the expense. My iPad 2 is still very much usable to me (and my kids, whom are younger than it).

    That all being said, I’d never have so old a product being repaired, in any level. I doubt it would be cost effective, particularly with the current line up of new offerings.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 21
    Eric_in_CTEric_in_CT Posts: 105member
    Someone gave us an iPad 2 (pretty sure it's 2).

    With a hiccup or two we got it to run iOS9, and use it only for our 4-year old to have a few movies on and play a game or two (two 4S's:  same job).
    Still has good battery life, and surprising standby battery life.  It can sit for 2 weeks and then still have use-able life.

    I follow AI for the really good discussion on the latest/greatest, tech/life-philosophy, tech-history, etc etc.

    But for apple products I fawn over what they can do compare to nothing, so I geek out about an iPad 2 with a beautiful-screen playing "Frozen" for my little one.  "wow look at that!".

    Our old Macs are still soldiering on:
    Just for bare-bones home-use of web surfing & e-mail, and home photos:
         Main machine:  2009 iMac:  High Sierra.
           2007 iMac:  SSD + 4GB:  El Cap:  Yay iFixit.
           2008 iMac:  SSD + 4GB:  El Cap:  Yay iFixit.
           Late 2008 Macbook, SSD + 4GB, El Cap
           2009 MacBook pro:  El Cap (SSD coming!)

    But I also enjoy reading people's demands for 3D-holographic-augmented-reality, full holo-deck expected for "the next i-something."

    Heh heh.

    Cheers!

    Eric.
    hodarwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 21
    hodarhodar Posts: 357member
    What other electronics company supports their products for 8 years?

    Most drop you like a bad habit, after 1 year.  Why doesn't anyone ask Microsoft about support for their line of dropped Surface and SurfaceRT tablets?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 21
    curtis hannahcurtis hannah Posts: 1,833member
    hodar said:
    What other electronics company supports their products for 8 years?

    Most drop you like a bad habit, after 1 year.  Why doesn't anyone ask Microsoft about support for their line of dropped Surface and SurfaceRT tablets?
    I’m pretty sure law in a number of places makes them mandated by the 5 years as well.

    The iPad 2 is simply the best iPad upgrade with its hardware running relatively well for so long.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 21
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    Notice the "Apple breaks easily" memes have been dead for a while now?

    I guess a lie can only run for so long.
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 21
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    Still got mine! And it still works. Still remember the launch, the long lines to buy one. It was the first ‘modern’ iPad. I’d hook it up to a projector and run Keynote presentations.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 21
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    Notice the "Apple breaks easily" memes have been dead for a while now?

    I guess a lie can only run for so long.
    They’re busy defending the Samsung Fold.  ;)
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 21
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    iPad 2 was the first iPad I ever bought. I was amazed by it at the time when I got it and turned it on for the first time. It was my first multi touch device.

    It's still running good by the way, though with less battery time than it used to have of course. I gave it to my mom many years ago, and she still uses it.


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 21
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    hodar said:
    What other electronics company supports their products for 8 years?

    Most drop you like a bad habit, after 1 year.  Why doesn't anyone ask Microsoft about support for their line of dropped Surface and SurfaceRT tablets?
    My experience with PCs back when I used them was atrocious. The hardware, OS, and device drivers were from completely different companies. I once bought a Sony VAIO laptop with all these custom buttons and camera that required custom drivers for, and neither Microsoft nor Sony cared to update drivers for these after that machine was no longer the current model. Sony did not promise that the machine would be supported by the next operating system version from Microsoft because how could they?

    I bought a Samsung laser printer that only had drivers for Windows XP, and when Vista and Windows 7 came out, Samsung’s support was like: “just buy a new printer!”

    Support for future operating systems is only really a guarantee when the OS and hardware are from the same company, and only if it sold better than the Microsoft Windows Phone 7.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 21
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 966member
    Looking back, I think the iPad 2 might be my favorite Apple product of all time, measured in terms of "happiness produced." What a great device.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 21
    BombdoeBombdoe Posts: 56member
    the monk said:
    Haha, good! Hung on to my iPad 2 until January of this year. The iOS updates that were suppose to make legacy products work faster didn’t apply to this one,
    Agree with the others, this is a superb piece of tech and I use it today... with a smile. But agree with this post, the last iOS update negatively affected its overall performance.  Still, I will keep using it until it stops being useful. I was using my iPhone 3GS until mid last year, but eventually I had to retire it - managed to get to get 9 years out of it. I think that's impressive.
    watto_cobra
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