“It seems the release of Apple’s feature-packed iOS 9.3 update is not going over well with some users, as a small contingent of iPad owners are complaining of bricked hardware after attempting over-the-air and iTunes upgrades,” Mikey Campbell reports for AppleInsider.
“An unknown number of iPad owners, specifically those with second-generation models, are having trouble installing and activating the latest iOS version released Monday, according to posts on Apple’s Support Communities forum and readers who reached out to AppleInsider,” Campbell reports. “A few Support pages forum members said they were able to work around the issue by downloading iOS 9.3 through iTunes on a Mac and installing over a hardwired USB connection, but others have attempted the same without success.”
“Another method that proved effective for some is a full restore,” Campbell reports. “It is recommended that users conduct a local or iCloud backup prior to restoring their device as the process erases all user data.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: A not-so-subtle signal that your iPad 2 just turned 5 years old and it’s time to get a new iPad!
Seriously, though Apple is said to be working on the issue and it does not affect all iPad 2 units. Before you try to upgrade your iPad 2 – or any iPad, iPhone, iPod, or Mac – back it up first!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]
Sounds like a lack of sufficient, comprehensive testing.
Yes, because every single real world issue can be duplicated in the lab. Give me a break.
Yeah, so why even try to avoid problems in advance. That would be so, what’s the word, prudent, intelligent, responsible?
Um, this isn’t Windows. When you manufacture a limited set hardware that supports your OS and have Apple’s resources, yes pretty much every real world upgrade scenario can be tested.
@ Michael … you would have a point if Apple’s hardware permutations were as complicated as the Windows world is – – but it isn’t, so your rationalization is incorrect.
For example, there’s been seven (7) iPad designs, with the hardware permutations being basically only two (Wifi or Cellular), as storage doesn’t really count. Similarly for the mini, there’s been four. As such, the total number of **mathematically possible** iPad permutations that could require QA testing is (7*2)+(4*2) = 14 + 8 = 22 … and the reality is that it isn’t even this many, since the iPad 1 support was dropped back at iOS 6.
Having only 20 permutations to perform QA testing on is downright trivial … there is once again NO EXCUSE for how slipshod and shoddy Apple has become – – – and it is for this very reason of bad things happening (downside risks) that customer adoption rates for OS udpates has declined …. how much longer will it be until Apple resorts to Windows 10 schemes?
Sounds like a lack of sufficient, comprehensive testing.
This is a consistent problem with any software project. Apple used to be diligent about testing on ALL their hardware. Not any more! That’s one reason for the AppleSeed Program (expanded version). They’re depending on real world users to perform testing on all the hardware. It’s not going so well, especially when Apple doesn’t pay attention to bug reports. 😛
Better than the month-old iPad v. 1 I bought. It became obsolete the day I bought it. Buyer beware.
Huh. My iPad v. 1 gets more use than any other Apple device I own, except for my iPhone.
Yep. I’m bricked.
Yeah, although the update downloaded and seemed to actually install, and even though I could see all the data from my iPad2 in iTunes, even play the music and see/download the pics, etc., it failed (standalone or cabled, after restart/cold restart, and in Restore/Update mode) to activate, continually telling me, though, that there was a problem with the server, not my iPad. I had to totally restore it back to factory in order to get a working iPad. Tedious.
My iPad 2 is just fine for what I need it for: Plants V Zombies. No need to upgrade.
My iPad 2 upgraded fine.
Mine too.
Just updated my iPad 2 and it is rocking and rolling. Sweetness!
No longer update my old iPad2, bought iPadAir2 this christmas, discounted. iPad2 is now used exclusively for music playing lists and internet radio stations. Works pretty well for that purpose.
When I upgraded my 2012 (3rd gen) iPad from iOS 7 to iOS 8, it was unusable. Did a clean restore when installing iOS 9. Has behaved quite decently since…just debating whether to get an Air or Pro to replace it…
Go Pro! My large screen Pro and Apple Pencil is amazing. The Pencil is a game changer.
My complaint with the iPad 2 is that even though it is only five years old, many sites no longer run well or at all on it.
Compare this with my eight (8!) year old MacBook which also runs the current OS and still works very well, albeit more slowly than a modern Macbook.
The Mac is the superior product.
I’ve had the problem with some sites not working well, also, but I hold the site design responsible. Mostly because it appears to be an issue related with sites that direct to a mobile version, particularly if the site has done this in the past year or two.
Yes, if you are lucky there will be a link to go to the full site, then everything works quite well.
I find the same on my Air sometimes, including this site and my local newspaper’s website. I attribute it to lack of sufficient RAM and too many ads.
My iPhone 6 isn’t loading pages now in Safari, unless I turn off JavaScript, and the MacDailyNews app has no content when you click on articles.
When you turn off Javascript, then videos won’t load on the pages.
Apple screwed up this update. My iPad is 4th generation. (MD946LL/A) with the lightning power/data cable.
My car won’t start and the hot water tank heater stopped after the update. DAMM you Apple!!!! 😛
I have a second generation iPad. After the update Tuesday night, I had a BRICK. The folks at Apple attempted to help, but couldn’t do so. SO, I allowed my iPad to drain (leave it unplugged); the next morning, I plugged my iPad to my MacBook Pro, and held the Home and Power buttons simultaneously (to get the iTunes logo). I, then, performed an “Update and Restore” from my iTunes account … I back-up to the cloud multiple times daily, so I did NOT lose anything. The process took 6 hours (because all of my apps needed to update, BUT my iPad is now running iOS 9.3 without a problem … hope that this helps someone.
Thanks Will!
I do believe that this level of user frustration from Apple screw-ups is about equivalent to Windows. I don’t care if the fanboys on this forum refuse to admit it, but Apple software quality is flagging badly.
It is embarrassing on two levels: Apple released shoddy a software update with inadequate testing, and its support staff was unable to help the user. Two fundamental skills that a world-class company should have down cold. Especially if the company has more money than any other company on the planet.
If Will had not had a MacBook Pro and a crafty noggin, he could have lost a lot more than just 6 hours of his time. Looks like lots of overtime for the genius bar next month!
Just another detail: hold the Home and Power buttons beyond when the Apple logo appears–wait until the iTunes icon appears. I had to use this approach for my iPad 2, but my restore did not take as long as Will’s.
Impressively, all files, photos, music, and Apps were as they were before the upgrade.
My iPad 2 upgraded just fine.
Using as a third monitor with Air Disply. Have to say it works pretty good. Air Display works good if it’s using USB. Not good on wifi.
I keep it full of pallets from illustrator, Pages 09, Mail etc. I like it.
I have v9.3 upd 7 beta on my ipad 2 with no problems
I, too, have an iPad2 (64GB) that refused to verify.
I also keep a full (encrypted) backup of the iPad on my Mac.
Hook it up to the Mac, hold home+sleep, select restore. Wait a couple of hours. That’s all. My iPad runs now iOS 9.3, with all the Apps back where they were. It was so little hindrance that I consider it a non-issue. YMMV.
Some of my data has to get back from the cloud. Not much of a deal, either. Frankly, I am amazed that such an old device still holds up very well, and Apple still maintains it, and gets me through this hiccup with a rather elegant, simple work-around that does not require much work from me — except some proper security discipline. I do not regret the purchase at all.
The material is rather significant.|