iPad 2 slowed down signficantly over time

Is Apple deliberately slowing down old iPads in the same way they have been slowing down old iPhones? Does this explain why my iPad 2 has slowed down significantly over time, as I update it to later iOS releases? I have followed all available advice to optimise the performance of my iPad (shutting down apps, not using animations, turning off all unnecessary services, etc). but still it is horribly slow. It is most noticeably slow when there is any Internet access, such as updating apps or downloading emails.

If so, will Apple provide discount batteries to affected iPad users in 2018, the same as it has done for old iPhone users? I mainly use (or TRY to use, when it's not too slow) my iPad for reading books which is about all it can cope with these days, speedwise. I'd like to use it for more, but it's just too slow to do anything much else.

Of course, my iPad is out of warranty, so I can't even ask this question directly of Apple Support! Agh, so frustrating.

Oh, and why isn't there an iPad discussion group for the device itself, or for performance? Had to pick "using Ipad" / "apps" category 'cos there's nothing else much that fits this problem.