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ipad 2

I have been given an ipad 2....plenty of battery life and will be a great device for my basic use alongside my current laptop. It was wiped prior to my receiving it (main reason it was given to me as person did not know what to do once an external agency had tried to fix it and left her with an unusable item to her knowledge. She has since been given a newer one) I was able to restore usability through googling assistance but have limited apps. How do I find apps suitable for the device that will actually work...presently i have found 2 games that work and the others suitable for the system quit instantly. I do not have Pages and other basic apps.


The app store only seems to have the latest updates of any app. I wish the app store would provide specific search and results for your device from the archive when you log in.


I though Apple was into sustainablity...the best is having use of an item for as long as practically possible where the newest items exceed your needs.


What can I do? Is there another access to suitable apps?

iPad 2, iOS 9

Posted on Dec 9, 2021 6:32 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 9, 2021 6:39 PM

Unfortunately, no. The Pad 2 is a 10-year old device, and developers have stopped supporting it with apps. Those are the 32-bit apps, and the device cannot support the 64-bit apps which are in use now. While Apple is into sustainability, the device may seem to be usable, but it cannot support the newest iOS, which is 6 major versions above what you have. Electronics are changed and improved so quickly, it is difficult to keep up. You have an electronic dinosaur.

12 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 9, 2021 6:39 PM in response to Stitchpuzz

Unfortunately, no. The Pad 2 is a 10-year old device, and developers have stopped supporting it with apps. Those are the 32-bit apps, and the device cannot support the 64-bit apps which are in use now. While Apple is into sustainability, the device may seem to be usable, but it cannot support the newest iOS, which is 6 major versions above what you have. Electronics are changed and improved so quickly, it is difficult to keep up. You have an electronic dinosaur.

Dec 9, 2021 6:51 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

I don't need modern versions or newest systems... just easier access to any available suitable apps.


I am part of an older macs group (classic and up to G5) Apps and software are still sourceable for those even if not from the app store.


I believe there is an archive section of the app store and have been told if signed in on a newer device I could access pages but not initiate the download until signed on on the older device. it would then offer the older version. I haven't tried it but they must be available in that case...just not findable. I just want to find them easily even if limited. I accept that limitation. Not everyone can afford or need new devices


Dec 9, 2021 7:04 PM in response to Stitchpuzz

While there may be a few there, but they are going to be severely limited because most developers are no longer supporting them, or have removed them from the App Store. It is difficult for them to continue supporting the 32-bit apps while they try creating new 64-bit apps. I understand your reluctance, I'm just giving you the best information. Good luck, but don't be disappointed with failure.

Dec 9, 2021 7:11 PM in response to Stitchpuzz

You are not going to get much of anything that will work on an iPad 2.


iPad software distribution is very different from that of Intel, PPC, and Motorola Macs. As you’ll learn.


Developers aren’t inclined to provide support for their apps on old devices and old 32-bit devices, as that support costs more for them, and for declining numbers of users.


You’re not going to get much past iOS itself working here now, and you’ll have trouble making secure network connections without some added steps.


But by all means tussle with this as you’ll undoubtedly not be dissuaded, but expect to have difficulty, and do expect to have few apps to choose from.


There is no “archive” section of the App Store, there are a user’s purchases. Which existing users can have access to some older versions of apps they’ve previously acquired. But apps are removed from there too, so a device reset can lose access to apps. And new purchases generally involve newer iOS and iPadOS versions.

Dec 9, 2021 7:19 PM in response to Stitchpuzz

While you may have been able to recover some apps, you probably would not have been able to recover all. As I said, if the app developer removed the app from the App Store, you could not recover it if it isn't there.


I understand where you are coming from, just try and understand what we are saying as well. There is no magic bullet for the App Store. If something isn't there, it isn't there. I will guarantee you a large number of developers have removed the 32-bit apps from the Store.

Dec 10, 2021 12:28 PM in response to Stitchpuzz

Bottom line.

That iPad is, now, over 10-1/2-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 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, NO WAY to, initially, install any older, compatible, third party apps into this old iPad, any longer!

NO MORE SUPPORT! NO MORE APPS!


All 2011-2012 iPad 2, 3, 4 and 1st gen iPad Mini models are fully and completely unsupported AND obsolete!


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


In addition, the internal, rechargeable batteries in these old iPads are, also, running on borrowed time.

Not worth the costs to replace these old internal, rechargeable batteries in these old iPads, any longer, either.


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 releases of 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 )

2017,10.5 inch screen iPad 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 )

2019, 7.9 inch screen iPad Mini 5th gen models ( 1st gen Pencil support )



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

Dec 10, 2021 12:45 PM in response to MichelPM

A very big post to tell me that its old with a limited lifespan and unsupported officially and i should spend money. It is the same with the laptop I am currently using in that respect.....but until google made its recent decision I had no issues with using it and had some repairs done.... Put that aside...There is apps on the app store with recent updates that I have downloaded last night....I searched ios 8 this time and found more games. i don't expect brilliance and top line apps. The battery life has plenty and a person could quite happily use it for games even if they could not get the newest ones. I don't need the ipad and took it with the idea of passing to a family who can not and never could get the latest device. i just need a word processor ideally to make it a tad more useful....not just a toy. I was surprised a version of pages wasn't automatic when i did the restore along with email, safari etc that came in automatically. For my laptop I'm looking at 16" max chip and hope I can get 8-9 years out of it at least to justify the expenditure. Current is 2012 15" i7 and quite useable for my needs... even if you may have regarded it as old and useless the minute apple stopped official support.



Dec 10, 2021 1:20 PM in response to Stitchpuzz

If all you could find is some very old games, then NOT a very useful device is it?

You can’t get any video streaming apps any longer for this device!

That over 5-year old Safari Web browser is too old and very unsecure to use on today’s more modern Intetnet.

No producticity apps!

No Notes or drawing apps.

No other music or music streaming apps!


No apps that would still make that iPad a relevant and truly useful device, any longer.


I still own an iPad 2 and the ONLY reason it is still working and relevant and still has useful apps on it, is that I use on older Mac with lots of external drives with vaious versions of Mac OS X on them that I can use older versions of iTunes that I can backup all of those older version apps and data to, tbat keep that iPad relevant, but its battery is, also, of course, on borrowed time, as well.

When it finally dies, that iPad will be dead.

The costs of a third party replacement battery, if possible to even get installed, exceeds the value of the such an old device, today.

Dec 11, 2021 4:50 AM in response to MichelPM

I can find a paid version of Microsoft Word suitable for IOS 8 and drawing apps and games... all on the app store by searching ios 8 as not much is available for 9.3. Some of them even have update in 2021...don't be so quick to assume impossibility. Its disappointing I cant find Pages to suit and and will have to resort to Word due to lack of service by apple....bit sad isn't it. I am aware there is limits due to age. Not everyone can afford to have the newer models and if it works for the purposes then why spend the money...I have never been able to justify a new ipad for myself when I have the laptop and connectivity to an ipad is limited by design for many of my purposes eg no usb or transferable storage ability apart from cloud etc. I'll spend over 5000 on my new laptop in a few months and it will be purchased to give me longevity as have my last 2 over 17 years. It works for me... I posted to gain valuable insight and suggestions not to be told its an old machine which is obvious. I'd like to see the app store only offer what your machine can take when you connect. That would be a nice feature. Although I love apple computers some of the service ongoing is woeful. People go for cheap other brands instead due to support after purchase... despite Apple having the better product in the long run.


ipad 2

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