My iPad Air is on version 12.5.5 and when I try to update it I’m told that I have the latest update but some of my apps are not working because I can’t get updated can someone help me?
The 2013 iPad Air 1 ( “A” model number A1474/1475/1476 ), iPad Mini 2 ( “ A” model number A1489/1490/1491 ) and the 2014 iPad Mini 3 ( “A” model number A1599/1600/1601 ) cannot upgrade beyond any version of iOS 12, currently at iOS 12.5.5.
Sorry.
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.
These iPad models are 7-1/2 and 8-1/2-years old, now, in 2022.
Sorry.
Third party app support, typically, continues for 2-3 years AFTER Apple ends full support of a subset of their devices.
The last major update to iOS 12 was in 2019, with iOS 12.3.
So, it has been over two years, already, and third party app support is already on a downward trend for all iOS 12 supported devices.
Look for many more third party apps dropping support for all iOS 12 supported devices as the 2022 year progresses.
The immediately above statement is what you really need to worry about.
Sorry.
There is one last thing you can try/attempt, if you need to recover older versions of apps, for old or older, aging iOS devices.
If you own another much newer iOS device that can run iOS/iPadOS 13 and later, you can install the most recent version 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.
This does NOT mean that every app in the iOS App Store still has an older version of an app that is still compatible with iOS 12 to be able to download/install, per my previous comments on this.
So, Failing that OR IF NO joy, then there is nothing more to be done.
It's 2022, 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 sources, like other 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 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, currently, run the latest releases of iPadOS 15.
2014, 9,7 inch screen iPad Air 2 models ( NO Pencil support )
2015, 7.9 inch screen iPad Mini 4 models ( NO Pencil support )
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 Pro models ( 1st gen Pencil support )
2017, 9.7 inch screen iPad 5th gen models ( NO Pencil support )
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 )
2018, 11 inch or 12.9 inch screen iPad Pro models ( 2nd gen Pencil support )
2019, 10.5 inch screen iPad Air 3rd 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 older 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!
@MichelPM
yeah, I purchased this brand new from Apple I paid almost $900 for it and then paid almost another hundred dollars for the OtterBox that covers it so we’re not talking about a Jip situation here.
so your information is not helpful.
Then they need to provide me with a brand new unit because that’s freaking bullshit that I pay that much money for a piece of computer equipment and then I get no more updates on it in order to make me buy a new one.
i’m not going to do it. Screw them.
Like I already stated, that iPad year and model is almost 9-years old.
The 1st gen iPad Air came out in Sept. 2013.
It is what it is.
No computing device gets supported forever.
I supplied you with other older iPad models that CAN run the current iPadOS versions.
Many of these older, but newer iPad models can be found for A WHOLE LOT cheaper than they were new.
AND just because YOU did not find my facts helpful, doesn't change those facts about these older devices.
Do what you will.
Why would I buy an older model iPad that they’re just gonna discontinue to update?
That makes no sense whatsoever on this planet.
I don’t care that it’s almost 9 years old it’s still a brand new iPad that doesn’t have a single blemish on it.
This mentality of we have to have repeat business and returning customers because they’re not dropping their equipment frequently enough to buy new ones is the reason that our planet is full of trash.
Almost 9 years old, should we discontinue our children when they turn nine years old? What about people who are older than nine years old what should we do with them, trash them?
I don’t think that they should be discontinued after they’re only nine years old I think they should continually go ahead and give you updates as long as you have that system.
I’m tired of everybody sticking their hand out wanting more money out of your pocket when you paid them really good money to start with.
It should be my decision to update when I’m ready to update to something else and not their decision to shut me off whenever they decide they want me to buy some thing else.
Now I do realize this is not your fault you were just providing me with information and that’s fine, but I’m not paying $1000 for something plus another hundred to cover it to keep it in perfect condition, for someone to tell me when they’ve decided they’re no longer going to update my system. That’s like paying $80,000 for a car or a truck which they do the same thing to, to a certain extent. They start making parts that fail on them in order to get that repeat business but if they just completely stopped everything on your car after you paid that kind of money for it after nine years that would really **** people off.
Which is pretty much where it’s heading right now whenever they decide to switch over to their electric which isn’t going to work. Well let me rephrase that, it will work out perfectly fine for the controllers just not for us little peons, us slaves.
Normal base model iPad is not $1000, any longer.
And, once again, you CAN purchase older refurbished or used iPads for quite a bit less money.
ALL the older iPads that I previously listed, currently, run the latest iPadOS with nary an issue.
The internal hardware in old/er iPads are simply NOT capable of handling all the more advanced features of iPadOS.
Apple, typically, only supports their mobile devices for 5-6 years, or so.
Third party app makers continue to support these Apple unsupported devices for another 2-3 years, after and that is it!
That nearly 9-year old iPad has reached that end of life plateau.
If, IF Apple continued to allow older, less hardware powerful devices to continue to upgrade/update their OS, you'd just end up signinng up here still whining and complaining about how much slower that old/er iPad WOULD be running with NO solutions to make these old/er iPads run iPadOS faster/better.
The older hardware technologies, in these older iPad models, is siimply NOT up to the challenge of running a much more advanced and complex OS.
Your analogies to people are silly, riduculous and over the top.
Same goes for the commonly overused automobile and common appliances analogies.
Cars and appliances have had computer chips in them for many decades, now, and cars and applinces are becoming more computer reliant everday.
At some point, you cannot get the computer parts OR it will br very expensive to replace computer parts in older cars and appliances, making it not very cost effective to simply repair, any longer, either.
This happens much faster with common use appliances, as well, like stoves, refigerators, dishwashers, washer and dryers, and the like and even today's even more high tech TVs.
Electronics and computer technologies march on and are moving at an even faster pace, today.
Older electronics/computing hardware technolgies become obsolete over a small span of time.
No technology/electronics/computer company is going to support their old/er products forever.
Sorry, but that is never, ever going to happen.
Sorry, but that is the way it is and I suspect this will remain the situation for the foreseeable future.
Your model iPad is going to be obsolete by the end of the year with no more support for the latest third party apps.
You can certainly choose to keep using that iPad, until the internal battery dies, as most apps, that do not need any type of link to a secure internet connection source, may still work and function, for quite some time, but many types of apps may stop functioning like banking apps, streaming video apps, almost all video gaming apps will stop working.
Same with social media apps, like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
For banking, you will need to resort to using the actual Website through a Web browser and NOT the banking app from the Apple iOS App Store.
For some streaming video apps, like YouTube and Vimeo, for examples, you will, also, need to use the actual Website through a Web browser.
For social media, you will, also, need to revert to using the actual Websites, through a Web browser, instread, also.
For a more up to date and supported Web browser, you would need to search the Apple iOS App Store for a more current and updated third party Web browser.
Such popular third party Web browsers are few and far between, today, as many have moved on to a minimum support of iPadOS 13 or 14 and greater.
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 ) The ONLY “new-ish” Web browser I recommend for any old/er iPad models at this late timeframe!
Dolphin Web browser
You can, also, try and download the latest Google Chrome, Firefox, DuckDuckGo, iCab, Opera, Web browsers to see if any pop-up a message to download a last compatible version of these Web browsers to your old/er iPad, or not.
That iPad can still work and function for a little while longer, but at some future time, that iPad will no longer function with the apps it has and at some point, ALL of those older app versions already installed on that iPad will no longer be recoverable from the iOS App Store, if something bad happens to that iPad, like some sort of software/OS glitch or issue.
Third party app makers reserve the right to end support for their old/er apps and to remove these apps from the iOS App Store at anytime.
Users only pay for apps for usage ONLY. No users actually own the app/s they pay money for.
This has already long happened for even older iPads that could only run iOS 9 or 10.
So, your old/er iPad will be working for as long as there are no major issues that arise.
I hope I have explained the situation as best as I could.
Do what you will.
An unit running 12.5.5 isn't capable of 13 or above.
(215649)
Well then fu*k me running. Does that mean I’m not getting any more updates for my operating system?
Another paid Web browser that is still compatible with your 2013, 1st gen iPad Air.
Perfect Browser ( This is a paid Web browser app, but goes all the way back to iOS 11 compatibility ).
My iPad Air is on version 12.5.5 and when I try to update it I’m told that I have the latest update but some of my apps are not working because I can’t get updated can someone help me?
