What’s the oldest Apple device you still use?

Mine is a first-generation iPad mini, the 16GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model introduced in 2012, still running iOS 9.3.6.

My two kids have used it since they were little. It has seen hundreds, probably thousands, of hours of games and YouTube, mostly YouTube. For years, it was switched on for at least 10 hours a day.

I jailbroke it and disabled plenty of unnecessary background services and features. The regular YouTube app is no longer supported, so these days we only use YouTube Kids.
Somehow, the battery still lasts a full day. That honestly amazes me.

My iPhone 6 lasted 8 years, while my iPhone 11 is now at around 80% battery health after just 6 years.

Meanwhile, I’m happy if my iPhone 17 makes it through a normal day of scrolling Reddit, messaging and bit of streaming without reaching a critically low battery level.

i have the 2020 ipad air 4, my question is- will i need to change it? the battery capacity is around 80%, screen & everything else is okay, can i go for one more year atleast, cause that's only when i will get a job!

Hello,

I am new to the iPad ecosystem. In the past I used Apple ]['s when they came out, and have had some exposure to 68K and Intel Macs, but have basically been more of an Android, Linux, Windows user for the past few decades.

The iPad I purchased is the A16 model (Wi-Fi, 128GB), as well as an OtterBox Defender case for it. The dimensions for the latter are approximately 10 × 7.5 × 1" (26 × 19 × 2.5cm).

In the early 2010s I used a variety of 7-8" tablets from companies like Amazon, Dell, Google, HP, WinBook, etc., and there were many over-the-shoulder bags available for those from companies like V7, Briggs + Riley, STM, but these don't fit the larger iPad, and those manufacturers (or at least the ones still around) don't seem to have anything comparable that's scaled up to the larger tablet size.

What I am looking for some kind of over the shoulder bag, messenger, sling, or similar carrying device to transport the OtterBox-cased iPad A16 in (preferably in its own padded section), plus accessories. I prefer a vertical/portrait-oriented form-factor over a horizon/landscape one.

With a laptop, I normally carry:

• cables
• charger
• earphones
• ebook reader
• flashlight
• paper notebook(s)
• pens/pencils
• travel adapter
• tools (bladeless multitool, technician's screwdriver set)
• USB drives
• USB powerbank

I think I would want to carry the same/similar type of gear with an iPad. Given the iPad doesn't have a keyboard, I'll probably look at some kind of small Bluetooth keyboard.

As you may have guessed, I am neither a one-bagger or ultralight person, and prioritize good quality materials, durability, and construction quality over weight. Lots of compartments and good organization are important to me, as are nice neutral colors (black, dark gray, brown, green, blue) that don't stand out.

What I am not looking for:

• crossbody slings (I'm round, and they don't fit me very well)
• overtly military-looking things (I'm fine with a black colored bag, but I don't wish to draw attention to myself in public with tacticool stuff like a an O.D. or coyote tan camo pattern and lots of molle straps)

To give you a sense of my style/preferences, here are some brands that I like for laptop backpacks and cable/tech organizers:

• Briggs + Riley
• Eagle Creek
• Swiss Gear
• Targus
• Thule
• Travelpro
• Tom Bihn
• Victorinox

I've written more about my approach to laptop backpacks a few times on Reddit, most recently over here.

The other thing I am looking for is some kind of USB-C dock or hub to go with the iPad A16.

From reading https://support.apple.com/en-us/108894, I understand the iPad's USB-C port is USB 2.0-only, so I'm not going to be doing a lot of massive file transfers, but it does support DisplayPort and HDMI-out.

The ports that I think would be most useful to me are:

• USB-PD pass-through (for charging the iPad while plugged in)
• 2.5mm audio jack (for wired headphones)
• USB A or C ports (for external USB storage)
• HDMI or DisplayPort

A SD Card reader might be nice, too, if the iPad A16 supports those.

If there is any other hardware or accessories that are a must-have for use with an iPad A16, please feel free to mention those as well.

Thank you.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

I feel like the Air is better when I draw because it has 1.5 times more RAM than the Pro M4. But the Air's M4 has fewer cores, so I sometimes wonder if the Pro would draw more smoothly. What do you think?

I'm an Android/Windows guy. I already own multiple tablets, phones, handheld gaming systems, and enough electronics to open my own Radio Shack.

I did not need an iPad.

Then I found a 128GB A16 iPad for $217.50.

100% battery health

Only 36 battery cycles

Apple warranty until June 2027

So now I've spent the last few days poking at iPadOS, trying emulators, controllers, USB storage, Apple Arcade, sideloading, and repeatedly swiping at the screen expecting Android's Back gesture to save me.

Apple and I are currently negotiating that last one.

The most annoying part?

I kinda like the damn thing.

I still don't know what it's going to do that the approximately 47 other electronic devices in my house can't already do, but for $217.50 I feel like I committed legal robbery.

So, r/iPad: what should an Android heathen install/do next to properly justify this completely unnecessary purchase?

https://imgur.com/a/Ixe4qY6

so i found an old iPad while just cleaning my store room and its iOS 12 , a very old model bought a very long time ago , what all can i do on it and i tried not even whatsapp web or any other website opens on it , can i use it for messaging purpose (not iMessage) but yeah any other website or app for texting someone ?? pls help guyss!

What are people’s solutions to dealing with digital storage at capacity without paying for storage?

do people use hard drives? Do they have a system for filtering photos, emails, apps?

Hey everyone!

I have an 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation, A12Z) and I’m currently running iPadOS 17.

Would you recommend updating to iPadOS 27, or should I stick with iPadOS 17? I’m usually hesitant to update older devices because I’ve heard that newer OS versions can make them slower or affect battery life.

However, I’ve heard that iPadOS 27 runs surprisingly smoothly, even on older iPads.

For those of you using the same iPad or a similar older model, how has your experience been? Is performance and battery life still good, or have you noticed any slowdowns?

Thanks!

I see many videos on YouTube where they are able to connect the pencils without the adapter. Is this true?

What exactly is pressure sensitivity, and so I need it for bullet journal, note telling and crochet/cross stitch design?

Do you have to always use a cable with 1at gen/usb-c version?

Thank you!

I have been putting off making my ipad look all cutesy and pretty. I have looked into a lot of widget apps but since there are so many I’m really confused lol. I need some good recs for pretty and cool widget apps that offer cool, pretty widgets for ipad! Also would appreciate it if the app is free to use :)

Hi, I keep having this weird message pop up when I have word and powerpoint open. Sometimes it displays like this, and others it says
2
4
7 (in red)

Has anyone seen this before and know what it means/how I can fix it please?

Thanks!

Is there a way to remove this menu? I do NOT want to remove the option to have windowed apps, just this bar. I never use it and it always gets in the way at least 10 times a day. I wish apple would just let us have the old split screen version

Hi everyone!

I have a iPad 10th gen and Apple Pencil usb c since 2024, and since purchase I keep having to reconnect my Apple Pencil. I always thought you did not need to after initial connection. But for me, it only works when I charge it for 2 seconds and then it connects. But if I don’t use it for like 20 mins I have to go plug it in again for a second to get it connected again. Is this normal or have I been using a defective Apple Pencil?

I just did the update and it's still like this. Could there be any solution

Je viens d'acheter un ipad air M3 2025. Les pencil sont beaucoup trop chères. Avez vous des alternatives ? J'ai entendu que les ESR sont bien mais je ne sais pas lequel choisir.

Je ne compte pas faire des dessins avec, simplement de la prise de note.

Mercii

Hi, I am looking into a paper like screen protector for using the pen.

I can see the branded ‘paperlike’ can be £39.99 which is not an option for me.

The others I have seen are:

Mobdik
ESR
Moft
Bersem
Bellemond
Paperfeel

Does any have any recommendations?

I am looking for A16 size which I believe is 11’’? But 11’’ ones are showing as IPad Pro which is confusing. Does anyone know why?

basically the title. has anyone tried using the kindle/kobo "strapsicle" for the iPad mini? I dont want to buy their 60$ case and also dont want to buy a strap that puts a lot of strain on the screen so im wondering if the silicon strap actually works for the mini.

thanks in advance!

I have an iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd gen, Wi-Fi, 256GB), which I bought in 2020.
I mainly use it for web browsing, watching Apple TV, and playing games with simple graphics (Rusty Lake, for example). I also take it with me on occasional trips because it’s convenient for looking up restaurants, reading reviews, and researching places to visit.

Overall, I’m still happy with its features and performance when it works properly, but there are two reasons I’m considering an upgrade:
It’s been acting up lately. Sometimes it lags, the screen goes completely black with a spinning circle in the middle, and it takes a while to respond. Even when I turn it on, it sometimes takes a long time to start up, with the same spinning circle. I’m not sure whether this is a sign that it’s getting old or whether it could be fixed without replacing it.
I’m travelling to Japan this autumn. The euro is currently quite strong against the yen, and I may be able to get a tax-free purchase, so I’m wondering whether this would be a good opportunity to upgrade if it makes sense to do so.

I currently use the Apple Smart Keyboard that was available when I bought the iPad. It doesn’t have a trackpad, and I actually prefer it that way. I don’t really need a trackpad, and the newer Magic Keyboard is considerably more expensive. Having a keyboard attached to the cover is convenient, though, so I’d like to keep that setup if possible.

I’ve tried generic keyboard cases without a trackpad, but they didn’t work very well. I haven’t been able to find a current Apple keyboard case that offers the same kind of setup as my old Smart Keyboard, either.

So, what would you recommend?
Should I upgrade, or would it be worth trying to fix my current iPad first?
If I do upgrade, would an iPad Air be sufficient for my needs, or would a Pro make more sense?
Given how I use my iPad, which generation and storage capacity would you recommend?
Are there any good keyboard cases without a trackpad that you’d recommend?

I don’t need a particularly powerful iPad for professional work or demanding games. I’d rather not spend more than necessary on features I won’t use, but I’d like something reliable that will last for several years.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I just recently bought the iPad Air M4. Any screen protector recommendations that won't hinder the Apple Pencil Pro's performance?

Things I would do on ipad:
Drawing
Watching

I just read online that some screen protectors ruin the performance of the laminated screen, making it completely useless for drawing.

My iPad randomly decides my fingers aren’t good enough I guess. It’s completely random and usually fixes itself in about 30 seconds (you can see in the video it started working again, but I only started filming after it had been happening for like 15 seconds.) it sometimes decides to only register one finger, and sometimes it doesn’t register my touch at all and I have to use my Apple Pencil to do anything on the iPad, not just drawing. This is really annoying for many reasons but especially drawing because every two minutes or so I’m unable to zoom in, color pick, etc.

Anyone else have this?

Recently upgraded to iPad OS 27.0.1 and facing issue on iMovies.

Whenever i try to add audio file from files location to the project, tapping the file doesnt add it! Nothing happens. Although if i add via “file>recents>audio file” then it adds.. but its a longer way and not what i am used to.

Anybody else also facing same issue after upgrade?

Update: He starter by itself after 6 hours of charging and works properly, weird 😅

Hello,

This morning, I started watching YouTube on my iPad 9 and after ~10 minutes, it shut down and wouldn't turn back on at all. I plugged it in to charge and this is what appears on the screen. It has been connected to power source for 3 hours. Is it completely broken? 😞

Thank you

😭.. wtf is even happening

P.S. its iPad (A16)