“After nearly three years on the market, Apple’s second-generation iPad, which sports an A5 processor and non-Retina display, is now on the chopping block, and is expected to be discontinued in the near future,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider. “”
“According to people familiar with Apple’s plans, the company has made the decision to ramp down iPad 2 production given that customers are resoundingly shifting purchases towards its more modern and capable iPads, namely the iPad mini and iPad Air,” Hughes reports. “While the iPad 2 has had a tremendous run, customers are now said to be opting for the more compact and higher-resolution iPads.”
“The anticipated discontinuation of the iPad 2 aligns with a prediction made by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities last November,” Hughes reports. “He revealed that Apple was set to ship just 0.3 million iPad 2 units in the current quarter, suggesting to him that the product is nearing end-of-life.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Bye-bye, little buddy!
Uhhh yeah. My iPad 3 feels a little sluggish these days so I can only imagine an iPad 2
I have an iPad 2, and I don’t find it sluggish at all, though I do have ‘display envy.’
Couldn’t live without Retina Display being terminally spoiled. Sluggish as compared to when I first got it. OS updates have a tendency to do that with older devices.
I am very curious about Apple’s Retina display, though I wonder if it’s like a pair of audiophile headphones in which, if you aren’t able to pick up their better sound reproduction, you might as well be using a cheap pair.
Oh Retina Display is a VERY noticeable improvement. Like from cassette to digital 24/48 sound. Samsung is even going beyond this screen retina resolution but then that becomes the difference between 24/96 and 24/192 sound. Not all that noticeable. I look forward to my computer monitors at RD resolution.
Damn it! I have to honestly admit that I have been looking for ways to hang on to my iPad 2 (despite not having the resources at the moment for a 32GB Air–I don’t even bother with 16GB devices knowing that it’s just not enough space–but to hear that there’s a noticeable difference between Retina and non-Retina displays makes me want to upgrade sooner than I would have planned to otherwise.
I don’t know if you’re being facetious or not but Retina is a noticeable difference that makes all the difference. I have a hard time looking at older displays now. When your face is crammed up next to an iPad screen you will defintely appreciate the difference in clarity.
Not at all. I haven’t used a Retina iPad before.
Ahh then you must visit an Apple Store soon and take a look!
Maybe when I can actually purchase one. If I actually spend time with one prior to being able to buy it, I might start to think that my iPad 2 is no longer adequate (I know that that is a bit nonsensical, but I don’t want to tempt fate).
And I have a hand-me-down iPad 1, which does just about everything I want in a mobile work-station. Fact is, Apple builds good kit with a long useful lifespan, and I for one am in no hurry to upgrade.
Actually, as soon as I am able I want to get an iPad Air. I like my iPad 2, but once or twice playing “Plants Vs. Zombies 2” I have seen things slow up for a second or two, which tells me that it might be time to upgrade, since games and other applications aren’t going to require less power in future.
I have an etch a sketch and a light bright. They both work great too.
Really ? My ipad1 was was soo slow and sluggish I had to upgrade. I had wiped and restored and tried everything. Its not everything that is sluggish, mainly websites in Safari. And I mean sluggish in an unsaleable way ! A big reason is it only has 256 MB of RAM !
I had the same problem so I sold mine for a pretty decent price last year. I’ll buy another one later this year when I sell my MBP.
Still enjoying the iPad 2. Lot of ways I could describe it, “sluggish” definitely ain’t one of them. Seems like I made the right choice even with the iPad 3 available at the time. I suspected it was going to take an iterations or two for the iPad to get fast enough to handle a Retina display with no sluggishness. I’m pleasantly surprised by how long Apple continued to support and sell this model.
I skipped the iPad 2 and went from 1 to 3. It’s been a great iPad to be sure but there are few things that’ve happened along the way to iOS 7. One of them having to turn the WiFi on & off occasionally to get the iPad to see the Wifi (coming from Apple Express Base Station).
I think iPads are like Star Trek movies – in that your better off skipping the odd numbered ones.
But the Air is by far the best one ever from several aspects. Certainly not the case with Star Trek 5 !
The only issue I have with the iPad2 is it is heavy compared to everything else at this point. Otherwise, it just keeps on keeping on , just like any Apple product would.
“According to people familiar with Apple’s plans”. In other words, “we’re taking an educated guess that at some point in the next 12 months, this will probably happen”.
I think everyone knows by now that only Apple is familiar with its plans.
iPad 2… iPad 2… Isn’t that the one I sold on craigslist in 2012?
Love my Air …. Grandkids still using Pad, iPad 2 and iPad 3 ….
We keep passing down …..
Even battery on original iPad is still good ….
Love Apple products, they are the BEST …… The best!
My wife has an iPad 2, 64 GB model and I have an iPad 3 ( with retina display) 64 GB model and honestly, with both running iOS 7, the resolution and overall look is barely indestiguishable. iOS 7 is so flat graphically that there is virtually no difference is screen resolution/clarity over the retina display.
Plus, her iPad 2 seems a little snappier than the retina iPad 3.
I am sorry to learn that Apple maybe axing the iPad 2. What will they have for an introductory, full size iPad, now?
Go to NYTIMES.com and look at the same webpage on both. Then come back and tell us they look the same. The retina display is noticeably better.
Sure, the retina is better, but how much better? I have an iPad 2 and I find it hard to justify upgrading it because it does what I need it to do just fine. Now I am not saying that it’s not worth it to everyone. I am just saying that up to this point, it’s not worth it to me.
Well thats great. My local school district just invested all sorts of money, and purchased a ton of these for all the schools in our district.
I work in an Apple store, I always make sure I explain the value in the longevity of an iPad with an A7 processor versus the A5 to everyone.
The iPad is one of the best ‘tech hand-me-down’ products ever made.
No matter how old the intended recipient an iPad can continue to provide internet access for teenagers and younger kids or can be used as a literacy and numeracy trainer for pre-schoolers.
Want an iPad with 4k video please, ditto iPhone.
An iPad 2 for $399 has to be one of the worst ways anyone can spend $399 in 2014 ! Spend the extra $100 for SO much better everything, or get a Retina mini and hold it closer 🙂