The iPad Air 2 originally shipped with iOS 8 pre-installed and includes a version of Apple Pay with the in-store NFC functionality removed. iOS 8 comes with several built-in applications, which are Camera, Photos, Messages, FaceTime, Mail, Music, Safari, Maps, Siri, Calendar, iTunes Store, App Store, Notes, Contacts, iBooks, Home, Reminders, Clock, Videos, News, Photo Booth and Podcasts. Additional apps made by Apple itself are available for free download, which are iMovie, GarageBand, iTunes U, Find My iPhone, Find My Friends, Apple Store, Trailers, Remote, and the iWork apps (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers). [9] Like all iOS devices, the iPad Air 2 can also sync content and other data with a Mac or PC using iTunes. Although the tablet is not designed to make phone calls over a cellular network, it can place and receive phone calls through an iPhone’s cellular connection, using Apple’s Continuity feature[10] (supported on iOS 8 and later versions of iOS, and OS X Yosemite and later versions of macOS), or using a VoIP application, such as Skype. On June 8, 2015, it was announced at the WWDC that the iPad Air 2 would support all of iOS 9’s new features when it is released in Q3 2015. Apart from this, most of the features that were introduced in iPadOS will work with this iPad, including support for external USB drives (using the camera connection kits), the redesigned split screen and multitasking interface (with support for two apps to be open at once) and support for Haptic Touch (no haptic feedback will be felt as the iPad family don’t have Taptic Engines). On June 6, 2022 after iPadOS 16 was announced at the WWDC 2022, it was revealed that the iPad Air 2 will not be compatible with this new version of the operating system. [15] It also uses the Apple M8 motion co-processor which has a barometer and is the first generation of the iPad to inherit the fingerprint Touch ID sensor from the iPhone. The front-facing FaceTime HD camera has also been improved with a larger ƒ/2.2 aperture, which allows 81% more light in the image.
Unlike its iPad predecessors, the mute/orientation lock switch has been removed to accommodate the reduced depth. Apple has released a “camera connection kit” with an SD card reader, but it can only be used to transfer photos and videos to an iPad.
The Verge called the Air 2 “the best tablet ever made”, giving it a score of 9.3 out of 10 while noting that it offered only “iterative improvement” and that there were “missed opportunities” in its design.
iPad Air 2
The iPad Air 2 originally shipped with iOS 8 pre-installed and includes a version of Apple Pay with the in-store NFC functionality removed. iOS 8 comes with several built-in applications, which are Camera, Photos, Messages, FaceTime, Mail, Music, Safari, Maps, Siri, Calendar, iTunes Store, App Store, Notes, Contacts, iBooks, Home, Reminders, Clock, Videos, News, Photo Booth and Podcasts.
Additional apps made by Apple itself are available for free download, which are iMovie, GarageBand, iTunes U, Find My iPhone, Find My Friends, Apple Store, Trailers, Remote, and the iWork apps (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers).
[9] Like all iOS devices, the iPad Air 2 can also sync content and other data with a Mac or PC using iTunes. Although the tablet is not designed to make phone calls over a cellular network, it can place and receive phone calls through an iPhone’s cellular connection, using Apple’s Continuity feature[10] (supported on iOS 8 and later versions of iOS, and OS X Yosemite and later versions of macOS), or using a VoIP application, such as Skype. On June 8, 2015, it was announced at the WWDC that the iPad Air 2 would support all of iOS 9’s new features when it is released in Q3 2015.
Apart from this, most of the features that were introduced in iPadOS will work with this iPad, including support for external USB drives (using the camera connection kits), the redesigned split screen and multitasking interface (with support for two apps to be open at once) and support for Haptic Touch (no haptic feedback will be felt as the iPad family don’t have Taptic Engines). On June 6, 2022 after iPadOS 16 was announced at the WWDC 2022, it was revealed that the iPad Air 2 will not be compatible with this new version of the operating system.
[15] It also uses the Apple M8 motion co-processor which has a barometer and is the first generation of the iPad to inherit the fingerprint Touch ID sensor from the iPhone. The front-facing FaceTime HD camera has also been improved with a larger ƒ/2.2 aperture, which allows 81% more light in the image. Unlike its iPad predecessors, the mute/orientation lock switch has been removed to accommodate the reduced depth. Apple has released a “camera connection kit” with an SD card reader, but it can only be used to transfer photos and videos to an iPad.
The Verge called the Air 2 “the best tablet ever made”, giving it a score of 9.3 out of 10 while noting that it offered only “iterative improvement” and that there were “missed opportunities” in its design.
How long does Apple support iPads?
If you have an iPad already or are thinking of picking up an older one, maybe a refurbished model that would save you some money, it’s a good idea to find out how long it will still be able to use apps and services. Here’s a quick guide to how long you should expect an iPad to remain usable. The crucial thing is whether Apple will update the operating system software that runs on your iPad if it discovers a security flaw.
While Apple only issues updates with new features for the current version of the iPadOS, it does issue security updates to older versions of iPadOS, in order to keep older iPads secure.
While full iPadOS updates often require system resources that can be too much for older devices, security updates work under the hood and can usually keep an older model going for years after the point where it can receive a new version of iPadOS. This means that the real defining element of how long an iPad can last is security updates.
Currently iPads that run the following versions of iPadOS are supported with security updates: It’s interesting to note that iOS 12, which runs on some iPads, was last updated in January 2023, but we don’t expect those devices to have coverage in the future.
Despite this iOS 12 coverage, it is best to assume that anything prior to iPadOS 15 is no longer supported with security updates. The key is to know which version of iPadOS your iPad can run, that way you can identify whether Apple is still committed to updating it with security-related fixes.
If Apple drops support for iPadOS 15, then we can add the following to the list of unsupported iPads: As an example of a model that’s still supported by Apple, the iPad Air 2 made its debut in 2014, but received the iPadOS 15.7.9 update in September 2023, meaning that it’s still going almost nine years after its initial release.
Another senior model that received that update was the iPad mini (4th Generation) which came out in 2015. This means that in January 2023 Apple was supporting ten-year-old iPads with security updates, while in September 2023 the company issued a security update that was compatible with the then nine-year-old iPad Air 2.
While security updates are important because they protect the user from those with malicious intent, if your iPad goes wrong you will want to know whether it will be possible to fix it.
Between five and seven years after Apple stops selling products it moves them into the Vintage list.
Then around seven years after Apple stops selling products they are moved into the Obsolete list. Therefore if it has been five years since Apple stopped selling an iPad you are unlikely to be able to get replacement parts if something goes wrong. So it’s not surprising that when iPadOS 17 launches the following iPads will fall off the supported list since they are already vintage: Say your battery life falls off a cliff, you’ll need to still be within your one-year warranty period to have it repaired for free. Apple does have a battery replacement service though, usually costing $99/£99 for a replacement and fitting, so this could prolong the hardware side of things for a good while (essentially up until it was moved to the vintage list five years after Apple stopped selling it). Apple offers hardware servicing and parts for a range of older iPads, all at a cost of course.
Naturally, a ten-year old iPad is an impressive feat of durability, but they won’t be as fun or powerful as a new one.
Can my iPad get iPadOS 17? Here’s every compatible model
The update brings new ways of customizing the lock screen, interacting with widgets, and working on PDFs in the Notes app. In addition to these changes, the update includes new sticker packs, which can add fun and creativity to your conversations. Interestingly, the iPadOS 17 update works on the iPad 6th gen, which includes the A10 chipset. The feature lets you add 3D augmented reality effects like hearts, confetti, fireworks, and more on video calls.
This feature ensures you maintain a safe distance between your eyes and the iPad screen to avoid potential harm. However, this feature is only available on iPad Pro models due to the presence of Face ID sensors.
iPad Air 2 – Technical Specification
9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology Wi-Fi FaceTime video iPad Air to any FaceTime-enabled device over Wi‑Fi Wi-Fi FaceTime audio iPad Air to any FaceTime-enabled device over Wi‑Fi Wi‑Fi model Wi‑Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac); dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz); HT80 with MIMO Bluetooth 4.2 technology B (800, 1900 MHz) LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41) 4 Data only 5 Wi-Fi calling 4 Includes Apple SIM Fingerprint identity sensor built into the Home button
Pay with your iPad using Touch ID within apps and on the web Siri — Use your voice to send messages, set reminders, and more Wi-Fi Built-in 27.3-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system
Wi‑Fi + Cellular Built-in 27.3-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi‑Fi, watching video, or listening to music Up to 9 hours of surfing the web using cellular data network Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system
It brings your iPad to life in more intelligent and expressive ways than ever. Accessibility features help people with disabilities get the most out of their new iPad Air 2.
With built-in support for vision, hearing, physical and motor skills, and learning and literacy, you can create and do amazing things. Built-in apps are an essential part of your iPad experience and are efficiently designed to use less than 200MB of storage. Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iMovie, GarageBand, and iTunes U are preinstalled on iPad models with a capacity of 32GB or higher.
English (Australia, Canada, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional, Traditional Hong Kong), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese English (Australia, Canada, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional, Traditional Hong Kong), French (Canada, France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese QuickType keyboard support English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese – Simplified (Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke), Chinese – Traditional (Cangjie, Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke, Sucheng, Zhuyin), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese (Kana, Romaji), Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Cherokee, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Emoji, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, Flemish, Greek, Gujarati, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi (Devanagari, Transliteration), Hinglish, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Marathi, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic, Latin), Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish, Tamil (Script, Transliteration), Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese
English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese – Simplified (Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke), Chinese – Traditional (Cangjie, Handwriting, Pinyin, Stroke, Sucheng, Zhuyin), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese (Kana, Romaji), Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Catalan, Cherokee, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Emoji, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, Flemish, Greek, Gujarati, Hawaiian, Hebrew, Hindi (Devanagari, Transliteration), Hinglish, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Marathi, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian (Cyrillic, Latin), Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish, Tamil (Script, Transliteration), Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese QuickType keyboard support with predictive input 10 English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Thai, Turkish English (Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, UK, U.S.), Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish (Latin America, Mexico, Spain), Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Thai, Turkish Siri languages English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Chile, Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong), Arabic (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), Danish (Denmark), Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish (Finland), Hebrew (Israel), Malay (Malaysia), Norwegian (Norway), Russian (Russia), Swedish (Sweden), Turkish ( Türkiye ), Thai (Thailand), Portuguese (Brazil) English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Chile, Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (China mainland, Hong Kong), Arabic (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), Danish (Denmark), Dutch (Belgium, Netherlands), Finnish (Finland), Hebrew (Israel), Malay (Malaysia), Norwegian (Norway), Russian (Russia), Swedish (Sweden), Turkish ( ), Thai (Thailand), Portuguese (Brazil) Dictation languages English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (Hong Kong), Arabic (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE), Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands), Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Swedish, Turkish, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
English (Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, UK, U.S.), Spanish (Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, U.S.), French (Belgium, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland), German (Austria, Germany, Switzerland), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (China mainland, Taiwan), Cantonese (Hong Kong), Arabic (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE), Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands), Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Swedish, Turkish, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Definition dictionary support English, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish English, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish Bilingual dictionary support Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish
Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish Spell check English (Australia, Canada, UK, U.S.), French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil, Portugal), Russian, Swedish, Turkish
Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3), Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV AirPlay Mirroring, photos, audio, and video out to Apple TV (2nd generation or later)
.jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel); .zip; .ics A standard configuration uses approximately 4GB to 6GB of space (including iOS and built-in apps) depending on the model and settings.
Size and weight vary by configuration and manufacturing process. FaceTime calling requires a FaceTime-enabled device for the caller and recipient and a Wi‑Fi connection.
Availability over a cellular network depends on carrier policies; data charges may apply. The model you purchase is configured to work with a particular cellular network technology. Check with your carrier for compatibility and cellular data plan availability. Testing conducted by Apple in October 2014 using preproduction iPad Air 2 units and software.
Testing consisted of full battery discharge while performing each of the following tasks: video playback, audio playback, and Internet browsing using Wi‑Fi or cellular data network. Video content was a repeated 2-hour 23-minute movie purchased from the iTunes Store.
Internet over Wi‑Fi and cellular data network tests were conducted using dedicated web and mail servers, browsing snapshot versions of 20 popular web pages, and receiving mail once an hour. Battery life depends on device settings, usage, and many other factors.
Battery tests are conducted using specific iPad units; actual results may vary. iMovie, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are free on the App Store for qualifying devices with initial activation on or after September 1, 2013. GarageBand is free on the App Store for qualifying devices with initial activation on or after September 1, 2014. Customized suggestions based on recipient and app are not available for Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Japanese, Korean, and Thai.
iPad models compatible with iPadOS 17
Note: Apps and services that send or receive data over a cellular network, or that answer incoming calls, may incur additional fees.
iPadOS 16 waves goodbye to the iPad Air 2 but supports most older hardware
iOS 16 drops support for a few generations of older iPhones, including most hardware that used Apple’s A9 or A10 chips. But by and large, Apple’s compatibility cutoffs for iOS and iPadOS seem to have more to do with when devices were introduced than they do with the hardware inside.
Apple iPad Air 2
Apple iPad Air 2 We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
How long does Apple support iPads?
If you have an iPad already or are thinking of picking up an older one, maybe a refurbished model that would save you some money, it’s a good idea to find out how long it will still be able to use apps and services. Here’s a quick guide to how long you should expect an iPad to remain usable. The crucial thing is whether Apple will update the operating system software that runs on your iPad if it discovers a security flaw. While Apple only issues updates with new features for the current version of the iPadOS, it does issue security updates to older versions of iPadOS, in order to keep older iPads secure.
While full iPadOS updates often require system resources that can be too much for older devices, security updates work under the hood and can usually keep an older model going for years after the point where it can receive a new version of iPadOS. This means that the real defining element of how long an iPad can last is security updates. Currently iPads that run the following versions of iPadOS are supported with security updates: It’s interesting to note that iOS 12, which runs on some iPads, was last updated in January 2023, but we don’t expect those devices to have coverage in the future.
Despite this iOS 12 coverage, it is best to assume that anything prior to iPadOS 15 is no longer supported with security updates.
The key is to know which version of iPadOS your iPad can run, that way you can identify whether Apple is still committed to updating it with security-related fixes.
If Apple drops support for iPadOS 15, then we can add the following to the list of unsupported iPads: As an example of a model that’s still supported by Apple, the iPad Air 2 made its debut in 2014, but received the iPadOS 15.7.9 update in September 2023, meaning that it’s still going almost nine years after its initial release.
Another senior model that received that update was the iPad mini (4th Generation) which came out in 2015. This means that in January 2023 Apple was supporting ten-year-old iPads with security updates, while in September 2023 the company issued a security update that was compatible with the then nine-year-old iPad Air 2. While security updates are important because they protect the user from those with malicious intent, if your iPad goes wrong you will want to know whether it will be possible to fix it. Between five and seven years after Apple stops selling products it moves them into the Vintage list.
Then around seven years after Apple stops selling products they are moved into the Obsolete list. Therefore if it has been five years since Apple stopped selling an iPad you are unlikely to be able to get replacement parts if something goes wrong.
So it’s not surprising that when iPadOS 17 launches the following iPads will fall off the supported list since they are already vintage: Say your battery life falls off a cliff, you’ll need to still be within your one-year warranty period to have it repaired for free. Apple does have a battery replacement service though, usually costing $99/£99 for a replacement and fitting, so this could prolong the hardware side of things for a good while (essentially up until it was moved to the vintage list five years after Apple stopped selling it). Apple offers hardware servicing and parts for a range of older iPads, all at a cost of course. Naturally, a ten-year old iPad is an impressive feat of durability, but they won’t be as fun or powerful as a new one.
Apple iPad
The iPad is a line of tablet based computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. that use Apple’s iOS and iPadOS mobile operating system. Apple maintains a list of Supported iPhone models on its website.
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