What's the expected lifespan of an IPad?

[ewkoopman]

Not the battery, but the thing itself. I've found threads about battery lifespan, but I'm wondering how long to expect to keep the device.

I have an IPad2 but I didn't want to post in that specific forum because I thought it would be interesting to hear about other versions as well. I've had my device just over three years and have updated to IOS 8 - 8.3 I think was the most recent. It's still mostly doing fine, and I probably don't push the limits - I use it mostly for e-mail and web browsing, plus streaming videos. But it has started blacking out on occasion, i.e. when I have tried to delete an e-mail with an attachment (far from every time). No problem bringing it back but it is annoying. I don't know if maybe I shouldn't have expected the device to tolerate iOS 8 (but then they shouldn't have offered it, should they? hmmmm), or if it really is just getting old.

How long have you folks found these things to last?

 

[wildsdi]

iPad is indestructible and will outlive mankind. When all of us leave on a spaceship, the iPad will still be here.

 

[scifan57]

We have members that still use the original iPad they bought back in 2010. Electronics being as they are, some can fail unexpectedly at any time so one can expect that the older a particular iPad model is, the higher the percentage that have failed.

I still have my first iPad, purchased in 2011, it still works perfectly. I expect that an iPad will continue to function for an indefinite time as long as the battery is replaced when necessary.

 

[ardchoille]

My 1st gen iPad mini is still my favorite e-reader.

 

[Charlie Fox]

ᎻᎾᏔ ᏞᎾNᏩ ᏆᏚ Ꭺ ᏢᏆᎬᏟᎬ ᎾF ᏚᎢᎡᏆNᏩ


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[n4uau]

I should imagine declining battery life with age would be the limiting factor.

 

[Brian 244]

Sounds like you might be running out of RAM , which could be causing the "black outs".

Try force closing apps that aren't being used by double clicking the home button and swiping up on the apps you don't need.

Another thing to try is a reset by holding the home and power button down for 10 seconds. If that doesn't help use itunes to back up your ipad then do a Restore.

I have 4 family members using iPad 2's (3 of them refurbed by me). and they work fine.

Not the battery, but the thing itself. I've found threads about battery lifespan, but I'm wondering how long to expect to keep the device.

I have an IPad2 but I didn't want to post in that specific forum because I thought it would be interesting to hear about other versions as well. I've had my device just over three years and have updated to IOS 8 - 8.3 I think was the most recent. It's still mostly doing fine, and I probably don't push the limits - I use it mostly for e-mail and web browsing, plus streaming videos. But it has started blacking out on occasion, i.e. when I have tried to delete an e-mail with an attachment (far from every time). No problem bringing it back but it is annoying. I don't know if maybe I shouldn't have expected the device to tolerate iOS 8 (but then they shouldn't have offered it, should they? hmmmm), or if it really is just getting old.

How long have you folks found these things to last?

 

[KevinJS]

My iPad2 has had some hammer. I used it as a GPS while driving a truck off-road for anything up to 14 hours a day. Most days I had to keep it plugged into an inverter to keep the battery charged. These days, I use it as a remote control for my home theatre. The battery is showing no signs of deterioration, and the thing works as well today as it did when it was new. Can't remember the OS. It has been ages since I updated.

 

[A.K]

Well my ipad 2 is just over 4 years old... Stopped updating after iOS 7 .. Working ok...
Sent from my NOKIA 1520 using Tapatalk

 

[Mickey330]

Well, my sister is still using my first iPad - an iPad 1 (on iOS 5.1.1). I bought it in August 2010. Yes, it's slow and yes, there are apps she cannot put on it. But - it works, so that's all that matters to her (she browses her e-mail, Facebook and runs Netflix on it).

Then, there's my mom with her iPad 2 that I bought her in 2011. That is still going strong and is running iOS 8.3. I don't use it at all, but she's never complained about its operation. She uses it solely to play games on it (solitaire, Taipei, word search, crosswords, etc). It seems fine.

And, then there's my brother with my old iPad 3. I got it the first day it came out (2012). His is also working fine, as is my iPad Air (bought 2013).

So, I'm going with - older devices work great. Yes, they slow down as RAM and space requirements get larger with [what seems to be] every app update.

IMHO, Apple has done well by the iPad. YMMV, of course, but I am well pleased with the lifespan of an iPad.

Marilyn

 

[n4uau]

I refer to my earlier post on battery life being the limiting factor and refer to this MacRumors post.
Apple hasoutlinedthat the Apple Watch battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles, which gives the watch's battery a lifespan of about two-and-a-half to three years based on fully charging the wrist-worn device once per day.

Comparatively, the MacBook and iPad can also receive up to 1000 complete charge cycles while retaining up to 80% of original battery capacity. iPhones receive up to 500 complete charge cycles, and iPods receive up to 400 complete charge cycles before the battery may deplete further.

 

[twerppoet]

It is important to understand that a charge cycle is not simply the number of times you charge your device. It is a cumulative. 100%. If you charge your iPad when it reaches 50% one day, 30% the next, and 20% the third day then that is 1 charge cycle.

 

[Becneelan]

I find that battery wise possibly good for around six years, iPad wise it depends on how you use it and the damage done. Does it have gorilla glass I wonder ?

 

[ipadmini_lover]

If it is half as well built as video game systems it will last forever. I have an Atari Lynx I bought in 1990 I still game on - as well as a Sega Nomad I got in 1998 and a Nintendo Ds I got in 2004.

So, with proper treatment you could be looking at a lifetime of fun.

 

[s2mikey]

Even if the battery dies it can be replaced for about a hundred bucks through Apple and at that point you are good to go again for a while. The device itself could last for a decade or longer. That's part of the reason why people aren't upgrading as often and sales are down. I expect my Air to be my main tablet for many, many years.