I have iPad Air model MD785LL/A, with 12.5.1 iOS. Apps like Numbers won't open unless update and update requires iOS of 13.1 or later. My iPad says 12.5.1 is latest. What do I do?

Your older iPad model cannot upgrade/update beyond any version of iOS 12, currently at iOS 12.5.1

The 2013 iPad Air 1, iPad Mini 2 and 2014 iPad Mini 3 cannot upgrade beyond any version of iOS 12.

These iPad models have overall internal hardware that is too old, too underpowered and incapable of running all of the new, advanced and internal hardware resource intensive features of iPadOS.

Sorry.

There is one last thing you can try/attempt, if you need an older version of an app.

If you own another much newer iOS device that can run either iOS 12 and.or iOS/iPadOS 13 and later, you can install the most recent app/s onto that more recent iOS device.

Then go back to your older iPad, open the iOS App Store, go to the Purchases section of the store app, search for the app/s you wish to try and download to that older iPad and see if an older version of the app is allowed to be downloaded/installed to that older iPad.

These newer iOS/iPadOS devices must use your same Apple ID user account and password.

Failing that OR IF NO joy, then there is nothing more to be done.

These devices are fast approaching 8-years old, now.

It's 2021, now.

If you need/want an iPad with an up to date iPadOS with access to current, updated apps, then you really need to seriously consider a purchase of a new iPad model OR a much, MUCH “newer” and less expensive, used iPad models, from better known, trusted sources, like other Apple product/device retailers/resellers, locally or online, capable of running the latest iPadOS versions.

There are plenty of newer, older iPad models that can run the latest, current versions of iPadOS.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

This is the most ridiculous pile of garbage I’ve witnessed from apple thus far in THIIER new stance on updates. One would think even with t(e economy the way it is, the health of all Americans along with the workforce of each one of us in jeopardy there would b a work around for this. I’m sure THIER is we just hunt found it yet

Yes, if you need to use apps that are no longer compatible with iOS 12.5.1, sorry.

Regards

Giulio

You can't do anything, sorry, since your iPad model cannot support iOS versions beyond the one that's currently running on it, because of hardware (CPU/RAM) incompatibility.

Regards

Giulio

Is the 12.4.2 update the best I can expect?

And will it let me get apps from ESPN?

A new or “newer”, used iPad model will support the ESPN app as ESPN app supports iOS/iPadOS 13 and later.