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The iPad 2 is a tablet developed and marketed by
Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, in Silicon Valley. It is best known for its consumer electronics, software, and services. Founded in 1976 as Apple Comput ...
Compared to the first iPad, as the second model in the
iPad The iPad is a brand of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple that run the company's mobile operating systems iOS and later iPadOS. The IPad (1st generation), first-generation iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010. ...
line, it gained a faster dual core A5 processor, a lighter build structure with a flat, rather than curved, back, and was the first iPad to feature VGA front-facing and
720p 720p (720 lines progressive) is a progressive HD signal format with 720 horizontal lines/1280 columns and an aspect ratio (AR) of 16:9, normally known as widescreen HD (1.78:1). All major HD broadcasting standards (such as SMPTE 292M) includ ...
rear-facing cameras designed for
FaceTime FaceTime is a proprietary videotelephony product developed by Apple. FaceTime is available on supported iOS mobile devices running iOS 4 and later and Mac computers that run and later. FaceTime supports any iOS device with a forward-facin ...
video calling. The device was available initially with three storage sizes – 16, 32 and 64 GB – and two varying connectivity options –
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
only or Wi-Fi and cellular. Each variation of the device is available with either a black or white front glass panel. However, upon the release of the 3rd generation iPad in March 2012, only the 16 GB variation remained available. The product became available in March through May 2011. The device received generally positive reception from various blogs and publications. Although it was praised for its hardware improvement, such as the new Apple A5 chip, the software restriction on the iPad 2 and
iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...
in general drew criticism from various technology commentators. The device sold well in its first month of sales with 2.4–2.6 million units sold and 11.12 million units were sold in the third quarter of 2011. A popular product, with a lower screen resolution and performance than the two
Retina The retina (; or retinas) is the innermost, photosensitivity, light-sensitive layer of tissue (biology), tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some Mollusca, molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focus (optics), focused two-dimensional ...
models that followed it but a lighter build and longer battery life, it remained in the Apple line-up as an entry-level iPad model for three years until March 2014, latterly with a silent upgrade to a die-shrunk version of the A5 processor. Its basic design formed the core of the first iPad Mini, which had the same screen pixel count and similar features at a smaller size. Originally shipped with iOS 4.3, with the release of
iOS 9 iOS 9 is the ninth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 8. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 8, 2015, and was released on September 16, ...
, the iPad 2 became the only device powered by the Apple A5 to have received six major versions of iOS.


History

Apple sent invitations to journalists on February 23, 2011, for a media event on March 2. On March 2, 2011, CEO
Steve Jobs Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc. Jobs was also the founder of NeXT and chairman and majority shareholder o ...
unveiled the device at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, despite being on medical leave. Jobs announced that the
iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...
5.0 operating system would be available March 9, 2011.
Upon the announcement of the iPad 2, the original iPad was discontinued from sales online and at Apple authorized retail stores. Apple began selling the iPad 2 on its website on March 11, and in its U.S. retail stores at 5 pm local time on that date. Many stores in major cities, such as New York, sold out within hours. Online shipping delays had increased to three to four weeks on Sunday and four to five weeks by Tuesday. The iPad 2 was released internationally in 25 other countries on March 25, 2011. The countries included Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The April 29, 2011 release date for Japan was postponed due to the earthquake and tsunami which struck the nation on March 11, 2011. The iPads were delayed due to the NAND flash storage chip used in the iPads being created by
Toshiba is a Japanese multinational electronics company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, elevators and escalators, electronic components, semiconductors ...
, which was affected by the earthquake and tsunami thus resulting in the suspension of operations for an indefinite period of time. The slowdown caused analysts to downgrade Apple's stock. The iPad 2 was later released in Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia and other countries including Japan on April 29, 2011. It was then released in numerous other nations which include China, Estonia, Thailand, Brazil, Russia and Taiwan on two major release dates, May 6 and 27. The 32 and 64GB models were discontinued on March 7, 2012, upon the introduction of the third generation iPad. The 16GB Wi-Fi and 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G models were discontinued on March 18, 2014.


Features


Software

In late March 2011, the iPad 2 was released alongside iOS 4.3, which primarily introduced Airplay Mirroring and Home Sharing among other features. On October 12, 2011, upon the release of the
iPhone 4s The is a smartphone that was developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the List of iPhone models, fifth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 4 and preceding the iPhone 5. It was announced on October 4, 2011, at Apple's Cupertino ...
, the iPad was upgradable to the
iOS 5 iOS 5 is the iOS version history, fifth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 4. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 6, 2011, and was released ...
firmware update which brought over 200 new user features to iOS compatible devices including Notification Center, iMessage, Reminders, and an updated notifications system, using a new "banner" style instead of the previously used pop-up "alert" style. The iPad 2 comes with several applications by default, including
Safari A safari (; originally ) is an overland journey to observe wildlife, wild animals, especially in East Africa. The so-called big five game, "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, African leopard, leopard, rhinoceros, African elephant, elep ...
, Mail, Photos, Video, Music, iTunes Store, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Photo Booth, and Contacts. The
App Store An app store, also called an app marketplace or app catalog, is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not i ...
is also available as a default application, it enables users to download from a database of 800,000 applications, the price of these applications is set by the developers. Like all iOS devices, the iPad 2 can sync music, videos, apps and photos with a Mac or PC using iTunes, although when using iOS 5 and later, the user does not have to connect the iPad to the computer.
iCloud iCloud is the personal cloud service of Apple Inc. Launched on October 12, 2011, iCloud enables users to store and Data synchronization, sync data across devices, including Apple Mail, Calendar (Apple), Apple Calendar, Photos (Apple), Apple Ph ...
also allows users to backup and sync their data with other compatible iOS devices via the internet. Game Center is available as a native social gaming platform on iOS, games downloaded via the App Store that have this feature enabled are able to integrate their achievement points, high-scores and bonus system across all iOS devices into a single accumulative points and social platform. Although the tablet is not designed to make phone calls over a cellular network, a user can use a wired headset or the built-in speaker and microphone and place phone calls over Wi-Fi or cellular using a
VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, is a set of technologies used primarily for voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. VoIP enables voice calls to be transmitted as ...
application. The iPad 2 also adds the ability to run
GarageBand GarageBand is a software application by Apple Inc., Apple for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices that allows users to create music or Podcast, podcasts. It is a lighter, amateur-oriented offshoot of Logic Pro. GarageBand was originally released for ...
,
iMovie iMovie is a free video editing software, video editing application made by Apple Inc., Apple for the Mac (computer), Mac, the iPhone, and the iPad. It includes a range of video effects and tools like color correction and image stabilization, b ...
, and the iWork apps Pages,
Keynote A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote establishes the framework fo ...
, and
Numbers A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The most basic examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...
. These applications do not come with the iPad but are instead official applications from Apple sold within the App Store. On March 7, 2012, after the unveiling of the third generation iPad, the firmware of the iPad 2 was upgradable to iOS 5.1. Scott Rohde, a senior Sony executive described the iPad as "a
game console A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location conne ...
disguised as a device that can be appropriated in the business workplace." On September 19, 2012, almost a week after the announcement of the
iPhone 5 The iPhone 5 is a smartphone that was developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the List of iPhone models, 6th generation iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 4s, and preceding both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. It was formally unveiled as part of ...
, iOS 6 was released for numerous iOS devices, including the iPad 2 and iPhone 4s. However, on iOS 6, not all features are available on the iPad 2. The software upgrade was downloadable as an over the air (OTA) update package and contains two hundred new features, including a mapping software designed by Apple dubbed
Apple Maps Apple Maps is a web mapping service developed by Apple Inc. As the default map system of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, it provides directions and estimated times of arrival for driving, walking, cycling, and public trans ...
, a "Clock" app, which features a timer, stopwatch and alarm, and
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
integration among other new features and tweaks. The iPad 2 is compatible with
iOS 7 iOS 7 is the seventh major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 6. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10, 2013, and was released on September 18 ...
, which was released on September 18, 2013. However, some features are not available. For example, like the iPhone 4, the Notification Center and the Control Center use the transparent style instead of the translucent style in later iOS models. Also,
AirDrop An airdrop is a type of airlift in which items including weapons, equipment, humanitarian aid or leaflets are delivered by military or civilian aircraft without their landing. Developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible tr ...
, which was first released in iOS 7, required the
iPad (4th generation) The iPad (4th generation) (marketed as iPad with Retina display, colloquially referred to as the iPad 4) is a tablet computer developed and marketed by Apple Inc. Compared to its predecessor, the third-generation iPad, the fourth-generatio ...
or later. The iPad 2 can run
iOS 8 iOS 8 is the eighth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 7. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 2, 2014, and was released on September 17 ...
, which was released on September 17, 2014, making it the first iOS device to run five major versions of iOS (including iOS 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). While the OS runs on the device, most of its new features do not work because of relatively aged hardware and therefore, its performance is limited. Users have also reported numerous problems after receiving the update including the accessibility features and battery-related issues. Many users speculated that the iPad 2 was going to be dropped from updating to iOS 8 along with the iPhone 4, the same process that happened with the iPhone 3GS and the iPod Touch (fourth generation) and earlier models, considering that the model was more than 3 years old. It was confirmed on June 8, 2015, at Apple's WWDC that the iPad 2 would run iOS 9, making it one of the only iOS devices to run six major versions of iOS. As with previous releases, though, several features were unavailable on the iPad 2, including
Siri Siri ( , backronym: Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface) is a digital assistant purchased, developed, and popularized by Apple Inc., which is included in the iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, Apple TV, audioOS, and visionOS operating sys ...
, translucency effects, split-view, slide-over and picture-in-picture multitasking and the
Health Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being, especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body, absent of disease, p ...
app. iOS 9 is said to feature performance improvements that may help the aging device function more smoothly, and initial tests suggest that it did not significantly impact available space. Other A5-based devices will also run iOS 9 including the iPhone 4s (five major iOS versions), the iPad Mini (four major iOS versions) and
iPod Touch (5th generation) The fifth generation iPod Touch (stylized and marketed as the iPod touch, and colloquially known as the iPod Touch 5G or iPod Touch 5) is a mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a touchscreen-based user interface. The successor ...
(four major iOS versions). On June 13, 2016, with the announcement of
iOS 10 iOS 10 is the iOS version history, tenth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 9. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 13, 2016, and was release ...
, Apple dropped support for the iPad 2 due to hardware limitations and performance issues, making iOS 9.3.5 (Wi-Fi) or iOS 9.3.6 (Wi-Fi + Cellular) the final version that will run on the device.


"Broadpwn" exploit vulnerability

The iPad 2 is one of many computers, tablets, and mobile devices susceptible to the "Broadpwn" exploit, which was publicized in July 2017. Apple quickly released an update for iOS 10 to fix the problem, but a fix was never released for iOS 9 or earlier versions of iOS. As a result, older Apple devices incompatible with iOS 10, including the iPad 2, were left vulnerable indefinitely. This has raised concerns of potentially widespread attacks using the exploit, particularly in locations of concentrated iPad 2 deployment, such as certain primary and secondary schools.


2019 GPS rollover update

On July 22, 2019, Apple released iOS 9.3.6 for the CDMA model of the iPad 2 to fix issues caused by the GPS week number rollover. The issues would impact accuracy of GPS location and set the device's date and time to an incorrect value, preventing connection to
HTTPS Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is an extension of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). It uses encryption for secure communication over a computer network, and is widely used on the Internet. In HTTPS, the communication protoc ...
servers and, consequently, Apple's servers for activation, iCloud and the iTunes and App stores. The WiFi model and the GSM model are not affected by the rollover as the WiFi model lacks a GPS chipset and the GSM model uses a different chipset.


Hardware

The iPad 2 features an Apple A5 package-on-package (PoP)
System-on-chip A system on a chip (SoC) is an integrated circuit that combines most or all key components of a computer or electronic system onto a single microchip. Typically, an SoC includes a central processing unit (CPU) with memory, input/output, and da ...
(SoC), which comprises a 1 GHz
dual-core A multi-core processor (MCP) is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit (IC) with two or more separate central processing units (CPUs), called ''cores'' to emphasize their multiplicity (for example, ''dual-core'' or ''quad-core''). Ea ...
32-bit Cortex-A9 CPU, 512 MB of
RAM Ram, ram, or RAM most commonly refers to: * A male sheep * Random-access memory, computer memory * Ram Trucks, US, since 2009 ** List of vehicles named Dodge Ram, trucks and vans ** Ram Pickup, produced by Ram Trucks Ram, ram, or RAM may also ref ...
and a dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU. Other features include front and rear cameras, a three-axis
gyroscope A gyroscope (from Ancient Greek γῦρος ''gŷros'', "round" and σκοπέω ''skopéō'', "to look") is a device used for measuring or maintaining Orientation (geometry), orientation and angular velocity. It is a spinning wheel or disc in ...
, headset controls, proximity and ambient light sensors,
microphone A microphone, colloquially called a mic (), or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publi ...
,
magnetometer A magnetometer is a device that measures magnetic field or magnetic dipole moment. Different types of magnetometers measure the direction, strength, or relative change of a magnetic field at a particular location. A compass is one such device, ...
,
accelerometer An accelerometer is a device that measures the proper acceleration of an object. Proper acceleration is the acceleration (the rate of change (mathematics), rate of change of velocity) of the object relative to an observer who is in free fall (tha ...
and a 9.7 inch multi-touch screen with a maximum resolution of 1024×768 hence resulting in 132 ppi. The iPad 2 has four physical switches, including a home button near the display that returns the user to the home screen, and three plastic physical switches on the sides: wake/sleep, volume up/down, and a third switch for either screen rotation lock or mute. The home button on the iPad 2 is "easier to double tap" than the previous generation of the iPad. Apple reduced the size of the iPad by eliminating the stamped sheet metal frame from the display, integrating new thinner glass technology for the touch screen overlay, and slightly reducing the space between the display and battery. The iPad 2's screen is thinner, lighter, and yet stronger than the original iPad's. The iPad 2 also supports screen mirroring via the digital AV adapter and through AirPlay as of iOS 5. The iPad 2 has a 25  W·h rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery that lasts 10 hours, like the original iPad. It is charged via USB or included 10 W, 2 A power adapter. The battery is 2.5 mm thick, 59% smaller than the original and has three cells instead of two. The improvements allowed the injection-molded plastic support frame to be omitted. The 10 W USB power adapter provides 4x the power of a conventional USB port. The tablet has an audio
frequency response In signal processing and electronics, the frequency response of a system is the quantitative measure of the magnitude and Phase (waves), phase of the output as a function of input frequency. The frequency response is widely used in the design and ...
of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Without third-party software it can play the following audio formats: HE-AAC, AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible formats (2, 3, 4, AEA, AAX, and AAX+), ALAC, AIFF, and WAV. The revised tablet adds front- and rear-facing cameras, which allow
FaceTime FaceTime is a proprietary videotelephony product developed by Apple. FaceTime is available on supported iOS mobile devices running iOS 4 and later and Mac computers that run and later. FaceTime supports any iOS device with a forward-facin ...
video calls with other iPad 2s, the third generation iPad, iPhone 4 and 4s, fourth-generation
iPod Touch The iPod Touch (stylized as iPod touch) is a discontinued line of iOS-based mobile devices designed and formerly marketed by Apple Inc. with a touchscreen-controlled user interface. As with other iPod models, the iPod Touch can be used as a po ...
and
Macintosh Mac is a brand of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 1984. The name is short for Macintosh (its official name until 1999), a reference to the McIntosh (apple), McIntosh apple. The current product lineup inclu ...
computers (running
Mac OS X macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
10.6.6 or later with a webcam). The 0.3 MP front camera shoots VGA-quality 30 frame/s video and VGA-quality still photos. The 0.7 MP back camera can shoot
720p 720p (720 lines progressive) is a progressive HD signal format with 720 horizontal lines/1280 columns and an aspect ratio (AR) of 16:9, normally known as widescreen HD (1.78:1). All major HD broadcasting standards (such as SMPTE 292M) includ ...
HD video at 30 frame/s and has a 5× times digital zoom. Both shoot photo in a 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio. The rear camera shoots video in 16:9 widescreen to match the 720p standard, although only the central 4:3 part of the recording is shown on the screen during recording. The forward-facing camera shoots in 4:3. The Apple A5 chip doubles processing speed and has graphics processing that is up to nine times faster than the previous iPad. However, benchtests and hardware assessments performed by various third party news sources and technology blogs indicate that those claims are exaggerated; the benchmark assessment conducted by
Anandtech ''AnandTech'' was an online computer hardware magazine owned by Future plc. It was founded in April 1997 by then-14-year-old Anand Lal Shimpi, who was CEO and editor-in-chief until August 2014, with Ryan Smith replacing him as editor-in-chief. ...
showed that the GPU of the iPad 2 is only 3 times faster than that of the original iPad. CPU benchmarks conducted on the iPad 2 by iOSnoops indicate a 66% performance increase compared to the original iPad. 3G versions of the iPad 2 offer
CDMA2000 CDMA2000 (also known as C2K or IMT Multi‑Carrier (IMT‑MC)) is a family of 3G mobile technology standards for sending voice, data, and signaling data between mobile phones and cell sites. It is developed by 3GPP2 as a backwards-compatib ...
support for customers using the device on a CDMA network or
GSM The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a family of standards to describe the protocols for second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks, as used by mobile devices such as mobile phones and Mobile broadband modem, mobile broadba ...
/
UMTS The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) is a 3G mobile cellular system for networks based on the GSM standard. UMTS uses Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, wideband code-division multiple access (W-CDMA) radio access technolog ...
support for customers using the device on a GSM/UMTS network. The iPad Wi-Fi + 3G model includes an A-GPS receiver for tracking the user's location given permission. Also, the iPad 2 3G model includes a plastic cap-like band at the top on the back for the 3G antenna. The metallic grille for the microphone is replaced with a matching plastic black grille on the 3G model. GSM models of iPad 2 use a SIM card while CDMA models use an ESN to connect to the cellular network. The device is 15% lighter and 33% thinner than the original iPad; it is thinner than the
iPhone 4 The iPhone 4 is a smartphone that was developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the List of iPhone models, fourth generation of the iPhone lineup, succeeding the iPhone 3GS and preceding the iPhone 4s. Following a number of notable leaks, ...
by 0.5 mm. The
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
version is . Both the
GSM The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a family of standards to describe the protocols for second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks, as used by mobile devices such as mobile phones and Mobile broadband modem, mobile broadba ...
and
CDMA Code-division multiple access (CDMA) is a channel access method used by various radio communication technologies. CDMA is an example of multiple access, where several transmitters can send information simultaneously over a single communicatio ...
versions (known respectively as the
AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...
and
Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...
versions in the US) differ in weight slightly due to the mass difference between the GSM and CDMA cellular radios, with the GSM model at and the CDMA model at . The size of the iPad 2 is also less than the original
iPad The iPad is a brand of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple that run the company's mobile operating systems iOS and later iPadOS. The IPad (1st generation), first-generation iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010. ...
at only 9.50 in ×7.31 in ×0.34 in (241.2 mm ×185.7 mm ×8.8 mm), compared to the original iPad's size at 9.56 in ×7.47 in ×0.5 in (242.8 mm ×189.7 mm ×13.4 mm). After the announcement and release of the third generation iPad, the iPad 2, which continued to be available for purchase, received a hardware upgrade. The upgraded variant of the iPad 2 features a smaller version of the Apple A5 SoC, which is able to reduce battery consumption. Benchmark tests conducted by
Anandtech ''AnandTech'' was an online computer hardware magazine owned by Future plc. It was founded in April 1997 by then-14-year-old Anand Lal Shimpi, who was CEO and editor-in-chief until August 2014, with Ryan Smith replacing him as editor-in-chief. ...
concluded that the upgraded variant is able to last longer by at least an hour and a half, depending on the task that is conducted on the device. The maximum temperature that the device heated up to was also less than original iPad 2, tests conducted by the same organisation revealed that the upgraded variant was able to operate at 1 degree lower when performing intensive tasks. Performance difference between the two variants, according to Anandtech is negligible.


Accessories

The Smart Cover, first introduced with the iPad 2, is a screen protector that magnetically attaches to the face of the iPad. The cover has three folds which allow it to convert into a stand, which is also held together by magnets. While original iPad owners could purchase a black case that included a similarly folding cover, the Smart Cover is meant to be more minimal, easily detachable, and protects only the screen. Smart Covers have a
microfiber Microfiber (microfibre in British English) is synthetic fibre finer than one Denier (unit), denier or decitex/thread, having a diameter of less than ten micrometre, micrometers. The most common types of microfiber are made variously of polye ...
bottom that cleans the front of the iPad, and wakes up the iPad when the cover is removed. There are five different colors of both polyurethane and leather, with leather being more expensive than the polyurethane version. Apple offered several more accessories for the iPad 2, most of which were adapters for the proprietary 30-pin
dock connector A dock connector is an electrical connector used to attach a mobile device simultaneously to multiple external resources. Dock connectors typically carry a variety of signals and power, through a single connector, to simplify the process of docki ...
, the iPad's only port besides the headphone jack. A dock holds the iPad upright at an angle, and has a dock connector and audio line out port. The iPad can use Bluetooth keyboards that also work with Macs and PCs. The iPad can be charged by a standalone power adapter ("wall charger") also used for contemporary iPods and iPhones, and a 10 W charger was included with the iPad.


Reception

The iPad 2 received generally positive reviews, praising its Apple A5 processor and 720p camera. Joshua Topolsky of
Engadget Engadget ( ) is a technology news, reviews and analysis website offering daily coverage of gadgets, consumer electronics, video games, gaming hardware, apps, social media, streaming, AI, space, robotics, electric vehicles and other potentially ...
said that "for those of you who haven't yet made the leap, feel free to take a deep breath and dive in – the iPad 2 is as good as it gets right now. And it's really quite good." Jason Snell of ''
Macworld ''Macworld'' is a digital magazine and website dedicated to products and software of Apple Inc., published by Foundry, a subsidiary of IDG. History ''Macworld'' was founded by David Bunnell and Cheryl Woodard (publishers) and Andrew Fl ...
'' said the following:
"Though the iPad 2 is an improvement on the original iPad in numerous ways, it's still an evolutionary product, not a revolutionary one. If you're happy with your current iPad, there's no reason to dump it just because there's a shinier, newer one. (This is not to say that millions of people won't do just that. I mean: shiny!) If you've invested in iPad accessories such as a dock or case, keep in mind that you probably won't be able to use them with the new iPad."
TechCrunch TechCrunch is an American global online newspaper focusing on topics regarding high tech, high-tech and Startup company, startup companies. It was founded in June 2005 by Archimedes Ventures, led by partners Michael Arrington and Keith Teare. I ...
's MG Siegler stated: "Let me sum all of this up in a simple way: the iPad 2, should you buy one? Maybe — it depends on a few factors. Will you want to buy one? Yes. Use that information wisely."


Criticism

The closed and proprietary nature of iOS has garnered criticism, particularly by
digital rights Digital rights are those human rights and Natural and legal rights, legal rights that allow individuals to access, use, create, and publish digital media or to access and use computers, other Consumer electronics, electronic devices, and teleco ...
advocates such as the
Electronic Frontier Foundation The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is an American international non-profit digital rights group based in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1990 to promote Internet civil liberties. It provides funds for legal defense in court, ...
, computer engineer and activist Brewster Kahle, Internet-law specialist
Jonathan Zittrain Jonathan L. Zittrain (born December 24, 1969) is an American professor of cyber law, Internet law and the George Bemis Professor of International Law at Harvard Law School. He is also a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, a professor of co ...
, and the
Free Software Foundation The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Richard Stallman on October 4, 1985. The organisation supports the free software movement, with the organization's preference for software being distributed ...
who protested the iPad's introductory event and have targeted the iPad with their " Defective by Design" campaign. Competitor
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
, via a PR spokesman, has also criticized Apple's control over its platform.


Technical problems

At issue are restrictions imposed by the design of iOS, namely DRM intended to lock purchased media to Apple's platform, the development model (requiring a yearly subscription to distribute apps developed for the iOS), the centralized approval process for apps, as well as Apple's general control and lockdown of the platform itself. Particularly at issue is the ability for Apple to remotely disable or delete apps at will. Some in the tech community have expressed concern that the locked-down iOS represents a growing trend in Apple's approach to computing, particularly Apple's shift away from machines that hobbyists can "tinker with" and note the potential for such restrictions to stifle software innovation. Some iPad 2 users reported performance issues when running
iOS 8 iOS 8 is the eighth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iOS 7. It was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 2, 2014, and was released on September 17 ...
. Apple improved performance on the iPad 2 and the
iPhone 4S The is a smartphone that was developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the List of iPhone models, fifth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 4 and preceding the iPhone 5. It was announced on October 4, 2011, at Apple's Cupertino ...
on the iOS 8.1.1 update.


Commercial reception

During the first weekend of sale, more than one million units were sold. Soon after the first weekend, Ashok Kumar, a technology analyst for a financial firm predicted that Apple would sell 35 million iPad 2s in 2011. Investment banking firm, Piper Jaffray monitored the initial sales of the iPad 2 and reported that 70% of all iPad 2 sales were to first-time iPad buyers with 49% of buyers owning a PC compared to the initial buyers of the original iPad where only 26% of buyers owned a PC. 12,000 units were sold on auction site
eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...
in its first two weeks of release. When the iPhone 4S was released, rumors about the third generation iPad caused a decline in iPad 2 sales. Official figures released in the fourth quarter of 2011 indicate that Apple sold 11.4 million iPads in the third quarter, a 166% increase from the third quarter of 2010. The product helped create newer, larger markets for Apple in south east Asia.


In space

In 2011 two iPad 2 tablets were taken to the
International Space Station The International Space Station (ISS) is a large space station that was Assembly of the International Space Station, assembled and is maintained in low Earth orbit by a collaboration of five space agencies and their contractors: NASA (United ...
after being approved. Other Apple products that were taken to ISS include the
iPod The iPod is a series of portable media players and multi-purpose mobile devices that were designed and marketed by Apple Inc. from 2001 to 2022. The iPod Classic#1st generation, first version was released on November 10, 2001, about mon ...
and also two
iPhone 4 The iPhone 4 is a smartphone that was developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the List of iPhone models, fourth generation of the iPhone lineup, succeeding the iPhone 3GS and preceding the iPhone 4s. Following a number of notable leaks, ...
phones. The other personal computing system aboard ISS were various versions of the
ThinkPad ThinkPad is a line of business-oriented laptop and Tablet computer, tablet computers produced since 1992. It was originally designed, created and manufactured by the American IBM, International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation. IBM Acquisit ...
laptop (IBM, later Lenovo brand). Some of the applications the iPads were used for include the ISS FIT (International Space Station Food Intake Tracker) for tracking astronauts' food consumption.


See also

* iPad accessories *
E-book reader An e-reader, also called an e reader or e device, is a Mobile computing, mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and Periodical literature, periodicals. Any device that can display text on ...
* Comparison of tablet computers


References


External links

* {{Good article Products introduced in 2011 Products and services discontinued in 2016 2 Tablet computers Tablet computers introduced in 2011 Discontinued Apple Inc. products Touchscreen portable media players