Upgrades and Version Options from iOS 6.1.3

[PHantasy]

Good evening everyone! I recently inherited my cousin's old iPad 2 since he doesn't use it that much anymore. I'm a graduate student and I was hoping to use it primarily for studying.

However, it's still in iOS 6.1.3. I hear that Apple will not upgrade iPad 2 to iOS 8 [EDIT: It will be! Can't remember who I read/heard that from... I should've checked Apple's website ]. I didn't want to upgrade anything (firmware, apps, etc.) unless I knew what I was doing. I wanted to inquire about my options from here (Oh and btw, I'm open to jailbreaking ).

I did try to read around here and there... I'll summarize what I already know and what I find out from you guys below in case someone else is in the same predicament.

====My Options==== Editted 09/14/14
1. Stay on iOS 6.1.3 and Do Not Jailbreak
+ Better battery life ?
- Highly possible for a large number of apps to become unsupported

2. Stay on iOS 6.1.3 and Jailbreak
+ Better battery life ?
+ Easier/Safer? to jailbreak than the latest version (EDIT: "There is a jailbreak for iOS 7.1.2, the Pangu Jailbreak Tool" - Mikey330)
+ Access to other App stores
- Highly possible for a large number of apps to become unsupported
- I might brick the iPad if I don't know what I'm doing or something interrupts the JB process

3. Upgrade to iOS 7.1.2 and Do Not Jailbreak
+ Slightly faster than previous version ?
+ Apps continue to be supported
- May not be as snappy as previous OS

4. Upgrade to iOS 7.1.2 and Jailbreak (The iPad Hacking section has an awesome-looking post for this here!)
+ Slightly faster than previous version ?
+ Access to other App stores
+ Apps continue to be supported
- May not be as snappy as previous OS
- I might brick the iPad if I don't know what I'm doing or something interrupts the JB process

5. Upgrade to iOS 8
! Wait 1-2 months after release before upgrading for initial bugs to get fixed

 

[J. A.]

Short note: the iPad 2 will receive an iOS 8 update. This was announced by Apple.

 

[Gtatler]

Backup using iTunes then upgrade to 7.1.2 always better to get the update to date software. And I see no reason to jailbreak. May be that some apps will not work, but in my experience all have been OK.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Mickey330]

My recommendation is to start off fresh with iOS 7.1.2. It's the newest and bestest version and will ensure you are up-to-date with any app you wish to run.

My mom has an iPad 2 running on iOS 7.1.2 and it's working fine. Trust me, I'd KNOW if it developed any issues or slowdowns!

I can't tell you how well an iPad2 will run jailbroken, as I don't have one, but I can tell you that both my sister and my brother are running jail broken iPhone 4Ss on iOS 7.1.2 and I've not heard of any issues (and I would - I'm their "IT" person). Those phones are almost as old as the iPad2 or the same. So, that's a good reference point.

There is a jailbreak for iOS 7.1.2, the Pangu Jailbreak Tool. If your interested in jail breaking, we have a tutorial thread over in the Hacking section.

As you've probably guessed, I wouldn't recommend staying on iOS 6.x. It's an iOS that's rapidly becoming obsolete, especially with iOS 8 right around the corner (that will run on an iPad2, as J.A. pointed out).

Good luck in your decision.

Marilyn

 

[twerppoet]

Upgrade to iOS 7.1.2. Not long after the iOS 8 upgrade you'll not longer have that option. I expect some of the better apps will start dropping iOS 6 support a few months after the iOS 8 update. After all, most of them have already dropped iOS 5 support, meaning they have already dropped the iPad 1; the only iPad that will not get the iOS 8 update.

Many of the best education apps update regularly. Even if it means the iPad won't be quite a snappy as it was under iOS 6.0, app compatibility is going to be one of your bigger issues.

As for iOS 8, I'd wait a month or two before upgrading. The initial updates are often problematic for the older devices. Most, if not all the issues are usually resolved with minor updates a month or two later.

iOS 7, on the other hand, is about as ironed out as it is going to get.

Whatever you do, don't expect top of the line performance from you iPad 2. Even if you never update iOS, apps are getting bigger and more demanding, as are web sites. I predict you've got about one more year of use out of the iPad 2 before things start getting more frustrating than it's worth.

That assumes you make full use of the iPad. If all you do is browse the web, email, and play a few casual games it could be longer. But that doesn't sound like what you want.

 

[PHantasy]

Your answers were all so helpful! I've always been highly cautious with updates. I think I can come to a good decision now .

I'll just search for good practices to update with iTunes.

Thank you to all that replied! You've laid my major fears (that it'd be hard to jailbreak iOS 7.1.2 and that Apple will abandon iPad 2 in the next update) to rest.

 

[twerppoet]

Hold in mind that Apple will be releasing iOS 8 the 17th. I expect they will stop signing iOS 7.1.2 a few weeks after that; a couple months at most. After which upgrading to 7.1.2 will no longer be an option.

Just something you need to keep in mind.

 

[scifan57]

Hold in mind that Apple will be releasing iOS 8 the 17th. I expect they will stop signing iOS 7.1.2 a few weeks after that; a couple months at most. After which upgrading to 7.1.2 will no longer be an option.

Just something you need to keep in mind.

Last year when apple released iOS 7 they stopped signing iOS 6.1.3 less than three days later. I expect something similar upon the release of iOS 8 this Wednesday.

 

[twerppoet]

Last year when apple released iOS 7 they stopped signing iOS 6.1.3 less than three days later. I expect something similar upon the release of iOS 8 this Wednesday.

You are probably right. I don't pay much attention to the signing windows, so my impression was that it was longer than that.