Ipad2 and iPad mini

The iPad 2 and iPad mini are 9 years old at this point. The hardware is incapable of running a newer iOS version due to the demands of the operating system. It simply cannot do so anymore. It's not a random or arbitrary decision by Apple. It's the fact the OS features require more CPU and RAM than either of them have.

It's a fact of live all devices stop being functional at some point. Why do you think 9 years is not a reasonable life span for tablets?

Also, Apple does not in any way determine what apps or games will work on devices, that is up to the developers of the games and apps, not Apple.

Your existing Apps may still be able to be re-downloaded onto the iPad if compatible versions are still kept in the App Store platform by the developers.

Open the App Store App, tap on the Updates tab at the bottom right if the screen, then on purchased. Then tap on the cloud icon to attempt to redownload the app, if there is a compatible version available it should offer to download it.

Not much.

The 2011 iPad 2 is over 10-years old, now ( introduced in March/April 2011 ).

The 1st iPad Mini is nearly 9-years old.

Sorry.

Apple ended support for all 8-10-year old iOS devices nearly 5 years, ago, in 2016.

Third party app developers abandoned and stopped supporting these 8-10-year old iOS devices nearly 3 years, ago, in 2018.

There are, virtually, NO MORE older third party apps available from the iOS App Store, any longer!

Third party compatible apps for such old devices are few and far between, now, in 2021.

This includes apps for both iOS 9 AND iOS 10 devices!

AND, that nearly 5-year old default iOS Safari Web browser is too old, not secure and not safe to use to access the Internet, any longer.

There are virtually NO MORE third party Web browsers left for 8-10 year old iPads!

Available and more popular third party Web browser choices are GONE, now!

If you must use these old iPad models, here is what is left for still updated Web browsers.

Pickins’ are slim, now!

ALook Web browser ( A fairly new Web browser primarily designed for old iOS device versions, but is still available to newer iOS/iPadOS devices, as well ) I recommend this “new-ish” Web browser for old iPad models.

Dolphin Web browser

Maxthon Web browser

TOR private browser

TOR + VPN private browser

Turbo VPN private browser

This is pretty much it for iOS 9/10 compatible device, up to date, third party Web browsers today, in 2021.

Simply put, a 2nd gen iPad and 1st gen iPad Mini are too old and obsolete now.

Sorry, but this is the reality for ALL 8-10-year old AND OLDER iOS devices now. Especially now in 2021!

There is one last thing you can try/attempt, if you need older versions of apps.

If you own 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 as the older device you ard trying to get an older app for.

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

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, refurbished or used iPad models, from better known, trusted Apple product/device retailers/resellers, some locally or from online, on the Web/Internet, capable of running the latest iPadOS versions.

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

If you need OR ONLY able to purchase older, less expensive iPad models, look at older IPads from 2014 and later.

All of these older model iPads, below, CAN run the latest iPadOS versions and the up and coming iPadOS 15.

2014, 9,7 inch screen iPad Air 2 models

2015, 7.9 inch screen iPad Mini 4 models

2015-2017, 12.9 inch screen iPad Pro models. ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2016, 9.7 inch screen iPad Pro models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2017, 9.7 inch screen iPad 5th gen models

2018, 9.7 inch screen iPad 6th gen models (1st gen Pencil support )

2019, 10.2 inch screen iPad 7th gen models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2020, 10.2 inch screen iPad 8th gen models. ( 1st gen Pencil support )

Get the largest internal data storage model you can afford as NO Apple iOS device has expandable storage.

I am sorry that you had to learn all of this, but this does not change any of the facts regarding these very old iOS devices.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

If you decide to go down the path of purchasing used, secondhand Apple devices, here is how to avoid purchasing an Apple iOS/iPadOS device with user activation lock, in the future.

If you purchase any iPad, or any Apple iOS device, for that matter, used/second hand, online, or even in-person, make sure this iPad does NOT have user activation lock and has been properly reset for sale.

A properly reset for sale iPad should initially power up to an animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen.

DO NOT take the iPad seller's word that this iPad is user activation lock free,

We have seen plenty of used iOS device purchasers get scammed.

User Activation Lock can never be bypasss, circumvented or worked around IF there is no correct previous/original user information to be able to do so.

Apple doesn't get involved with ANY user activation locked, used/second-hand sold devices, either.

So, buyer beware.

If purchasing a used device in-person, power the iPad ON

If the iPad DOES NOT display the initial animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, then pass on purchasing this iPad.

If the iPad powers up to any other screen, then forget purchasing this iPad.

You cannot trust that the seller actually has the correct needed info to properly reset the iPad back to factory settings right then and there before the actual purchase and exchange of money for the iPad, in question.

Pass on the device.

If you are purchasing this used iPad online ask the seller to provide multiple images, either online or be sent to you via email, showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen of the interested in purchasing iPad model.

Even better, ask for a short video be sent to you showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, in action and in its entirety, posted to the online ad or emailed to you.

If the online iPad seller refuses any of these requests, pass on the iPad. DO NOT buy.

Good Luck to You!

You own old 9-10 year devices.

It is NOT up to Apple what apps stay supported, or not.

It is up to the third party developers that decides what iOS versions they want to continue to support or leave active and available, as is, in the iOS App Store.

Most, if not all, third party developers, decided to end support for older devices.

Many Internet-based app and games for oldef devices will not work due to newer Internet/Web code standards that have moved along over a 9-10 year period and these games may not work, any longer.

Any other Intenet-based apps that rely on outside, “cloud” server support, also, may not work because of various issues of supporting older and newer tech devices on the same server platforms.

Many reasons and decisions why third party app developers end support for older devices.

This is still, currently, happening for all iOS devices that ONLY support up to iOS 12.

Third party app support is starting to dwindle for these 7-8 year old devices, as well.

Also, if you get a chance to read the terms of use of the Apple iOS App Store, you ONLY pay for the USE of the app.

No one actually ever owns an app.

Even software purchased for a full computer, you only pay for the rights to use the app. Once that app stops working on a computer, it is time to make decision to purchase another new full computer or to purchase a more compatible version of the app, IF it is still supported on that computer.

Nobody ever actually owns the software they purchase and the software code.

So, any apps purchased from the iOS App Store are subject to whatever the third party app developer wishes to do.

If an app developer goes out of business or cannot support the app, any longer, they have the choice of just leaving the app or removing it from the store completely to end any possibility of contact from app users having issues with an app they cannot or are unable to support.

Many app developers have either lost money and ended their app in the iOS App Store or other myraid of issues which caused an iOS app maker to “shutter” their business and remove their software from thr store.

Many third party app developers still active in the iOS App Store have decided to ONLY support those device that Apple still fully and actively support and that is their right under the terms of use of Apple's App Stores.

Typically, third party app developers ONLY support older devices for 2-3 years AFTER Apple has ended all support for a subset of their devices.

Sorry, but this ist he way it is.

Technology, especially computer and mobile technologies, move at a very fast pace/rate.

An Apple iPad 2 from 2011 was support by third party app developers up to 2018.

That was 7-years of device support for a 2011 device.

A lot has happened with iOS ( now iPadOS ) in the past 10-years since the iPad 2 and the almost 6 years since iOS 9.

I feel that no explanations anyone here gives you is going to be satisfactory to you.

Sorry, there is nothing more to be done for your circumstance.

For some apps, if they are Internet/Web-based apps, like video apps, banking apps, social media apps, the alternative is to access the actual Websites from a Web browser, instead.

Such Intenet-based apps are just “app portals” to the actual Websites, anyways.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!