Is Apple about to lay the iPad 2 to rest?

By Richard Devine
published

Three years after its introduction by Steve Jobs, is the iPad 2 set to finally be put to rest? With the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display now ruling the roost, a report by AppleInsider claims that the golden oldie is set to be discontinued:

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.

There's a valid point made, too. The $399 iPad 2 is priced the same as the brand new iPad mini with Retina Display, which has far superior hardware. Sure, it's smaller, but on price alone a 2013 device is more attractive to the average buyer than one from 2011.

It's had a good run, and stayed the course longer than any other iPad that Apple has launched. At the same time we always knew it wouldn't be around forever, so maybe now is as good a time as any. Until Apple does something one way or another, it's still unverified and should be treated with the usual skepticism. But, will you miss it when it's gone?

Source: AppleInsider

Richard Devine
Richard Devine

Editor at iMore, part time racing driver, full time British guy. Follow him on Twitter and Google+

46 Comments
  • Makes sense, especially since the Apple TV is going to get updated soon and they use the same processor.
  • I doubt Apple will discontinue the iPad2 yet. It's probably still a good seller in countries like India and China, along with less developed countries.
  • Why on Earth would a product so ridiculously overpriced be a good seller in extra-price-sensitive markets? Android dominates those markets. It may still be selling in Europe, though, as I hear people buying it there. Though one must wonder if these customers know that they are getting a 2010-era low-PPI screen.
  • +1
    Exactly.
  • I didn't understand why they kept the iPad 2 around this last product refresh. Some said because it had the 30-pin connector and some that it was cheaper for the education or enterprise market. It just never made sense to me.
  • It had a great run. I guess well just have the Mini and Air Retina's?
  • Its good for profits, that's all.
  • About TO lay the iPad to rest Sent from the iMore App
  • When they introduced the iPad Air, they should've made the iPad 2 $299 or less, as it has been $399 since the iPad 3 was announced, and $399 is a ripoff for the iPad 2.
  • I've never understood why the price didn't drop to $299 when the Air & Mini came along. The iPad 2s sales would be stronger if they had dropped it below the Mini's price point rather than have them competing against one another. It was no contest.
  • Considering how Apple's typical SOP tends to stop production on older devices/machines as soon as newer ones roll out, I've always been surprised that the iPad 2 has held out as long as it has - especially considering the price point at which the iPad 2 have been selling at. Sent from the iMore App
  • Makes sense, they can only get people to fall for overpaying for so long, plus it most likely won't receive IOS8 anyway Sent from the iMore App
  • It probably will receive 8.0 because it has the same hardware as iPhone 4S and iPad Mini and millions of users have those. But $399 is insane and it's time to let it rest with other iPads, no better time than this March fresh announcements.
  • I wouldn't be surprised to see apple drop support for all of those devices. I think they want to transition everyone onto the lightning cables/ports. Now I am sure there are some who would be angry, but most of those with a 4S will be able to upgrade anyway.
  • Nah, Apple values the support too much (and it's their favourite selling point) to leave recent customers like that, if someone buys one of those today from their store and they release iOS update that's not compatible then it would leave a bad aftertaste (yes, I know that iPad 2 & 3 struggles already with 7.0 so we shouldn't expect any fireworks with 8.0).
    iOS 8 will be a goodbye for iPad 2/3, iPad Mini, iPhone 4S and iOS 9 will finally say farewell to iPad 4, iPhone 5/5C. Every A7 chip device from 2013 will probably get a symbolic iOS 10 update (or not because it'll be huge anniversary update).
  • I just hope my iPad 3 gets OS 8. Kinda reminds me of 15 years ago when I wondered if my Quadra would run Mac OS 8... It did.
  • I wouldn't see why it wouldn't. It has good enough internals to run it and not be completely left in the dust like older devices.
  • I still use the 1st generation iPad daily. It does exactly what I need and is built like a tank. I must admit it's nice to still use the older version of iOS periodically. My wife uses the iPad air and if buying now, I would of course go with it. That is one of my favorite things about Apple products. They do just work and barring any accident, should do their jobs for years.... maybe decades. My wife teaches music and has one of the iPods with the hard drives. Serves her well even today in the classroom. The little ones are amazed to see such an "antique" of technology.
  • This surprises me but kudos to you. I always thought the original iPad rather obviously lacked enough RAM to be 'snappy'.
  • I mostly use it to stream music and works well. I'm Reminded how slow it can be when I use her iPad Air but it was a fine piece of engineering and still does so much very well
  • Richard, your spelling is a joke. "Scepticism" is spelt with a 'c', not a 'k'. A small child makes fewer spelling mistakes than you. Time you moved on I feel. You're an amateur.
  • Actually... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skepticism So it is spelled correctly, get off your high horse.
  • No it isn't. It's spelt with a 'k' in "American English". In English, it's spelt with a 'c'. As the writer isn't an American, he has no reason, or excuse, to spell things using the oddball nonsensical Americanised spellings. It's either lazy, or some weird attempt to appeal to any Americans who will be thrown by words spelt using standard English. Either way, it's unprofessional.
  • No, spelling error or not, time for you to move on...but don't go away mad, just go away.
  • Charming. What a pleasant chap you must be.
  • Eat a bag of dicks.
  • I would suggests you seek medial attention. You're at best learning disabled, although more likely psychotic and a danger to others. Before you take out your anger in the real world, seek help NOW. This isn't a joke, you are a danger to those around you.
  • http://eatabagofdicks.com/
  • Good riddance. The sooner Apple transitions to an all-Retina iPad lineup, the better (especially for developers.) And the sooner the old 32-bit A6-and-earlier iOS devices are deprecated, the better. Etc. etc. etc.
  • That isn't going to happen for awhile seeing how they have the iPhone 5/5C that are going to get at least 2 more updates
  • Not really. I have the iPad mini retina LTE, and it really is a good fit for me. I still have the new iPad(3), and find I am not using it as much. I tend to keep Apple products until they are no longer supported by updates. The 3 was my first iPad. Sent from the iMore App
  • I wouldn't miss it, but there might be people who still depend on that 30pin-connector. Sent from the iMore App
  • Apple should have ditched the iPad 2 when the iPad 4 came out.
  • Miss it? I sold my iPad 2 when the 3 came out and now I'm rocking a rMini after a year of being iPadless. It's old technology and I can't even understand why anyone would buy it?
  • Call me crazy but I feel the iPad 2 is the second best iPad only behind the iPad air. Though I do think it is now outdated and should be sold at $299.
  • Walmart started selling the iPad 2 for $299 this week.
  • Should've last year. Posted via the Android iMore App!
  • Mine's 2.5 yrs old and still running like a charm. Retina display didn't seem reason enough to drop it. Waiting for iPad5...
  • +1
  • I have to admit that my iPad 2 is really starting to slow down with iOS7 on it. It will be time for me to upgrade to something else when the next iteration of the iPad comes out I think.
  • I sure hope so because the pricing on the iPad 2 made no sense this year. Sure last year you had the smaller version at 329 so logically the bigger screen version would be more. Now that the mini with specs almost the same as the air, the 2 makes no sense. At this point get a refurbished mini for 250
  • The ipad 2 should be lowered even more or discontinued. Make it worth someones time and money or don't bother at all. The iPad Air though is really nice. We showed it off on our recent Start Nonsense Podcast http://bit.ly/1g51Jdu
  • http://29750aafmfq83rbduhlgnq7sdc.hop.clickbank.net/
  • http://2e447d9gqmzk6-b75cxeutft9m.hop.clickbank.net/
  • http://8f438f45qr0jfz9329x6sd8y9s.hop.clickbank.net/
  • Sure will if it's going on sale anywhere I would love to know I own both the iPad air and mini but if the price is on sale I would still run out and get a new one Sent from the iMore App