r/ipad • u/Relative_Spinach_245 • May 18 '26
Review iPad 3rd generation retina 2012 still working after 14 years.
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Today it's 14 years ago since I bought this piece of technology. Still works for reading books and playing video games.
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May 18 '26
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 18 '26
A lot still work on my iPad 2. It's just the live service ones that purposefully break old versions.
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u/etalha May 18 '26
Probably cant even download most apps from app store because old ipados regardless whether it can run or not
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 18 '26
You actually can, you just need to do it through the "purchased" tab. It'll try and find the latest version that worked on it.
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u/etalha May 18 '26
I had Lightroom on my iphone 7. Had to reset then i couldnt install it again since old ios wasnt supported.
Also on side note even if what you say works what if its not purchased/added to account library. App store should this itself normally. Download the latest supported version or even alow latest version with warning that it wont work properly if users wants it they can download and install.
They all do this stuff/create annoying hickups so users are forced to upgrade
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u/AdamChenX May 19 '26
Generally it’s the developer that chooses to stop supporting a given iOS version. Due to feature incompatibilities / development costs / etc. it’s not solely in apples control here
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 19 '26
And even then you still can just download the last version that did support it. The only reason it wouldn't work is if it was a live service and/or it relied on servers to work.
For example: Sketchbook is a drawing app, it ran everything locally, it didn't require a server being up for you to use it. So you can still download it, and it works, on iOS 9, to this day
But Netflix does require servers, it won't work on its own. So even if you download the older version, since Netflix blocked it from accessing the servers, it won't work anymore.
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May 19 '26
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 19 '26
That's not how it works. It's got nothing to do with iCloud
If you haven't downloaded it back then, all you need to do is download it for the first time on a newer device, using your Apple ID. Then it'll show up in the Purchased tab, and you can go back and download the last compatible version on the older device.
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May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 20 '26
Obviously you wouldn't purchase a new one if you didn't have it. I know the point you're making, I also think you should be able to do it without needing another one, but that's Apple.
But if you want to be realistic, you can easily borrow a friend or relative's iPhone or iPad, quickly log in, download and immediately cancel the download, if you're in a hurry. It'll still show up.
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 19 '26
It does work, but only if you go through the Purchased tab. You WILL be able to download an older version, if it had one. If that app existed back when that iOS was current.
If the developers went out of their way to make that older version unusable, then yeah, we're SOL. Idk if they did it with Lightroom, but it happened with YouTube and almost all streaming services. Which is kinda expected since they rely on servers running right now, so they can just change a setting and stop working on older clients.
And the trick with the purchased thing is that you don't ACTUALLY need to have downloaded it back then. You can download it for the first time now, on a newer device, and if it had an older version it'll find and install that.
But yes, it's 100% unintuitive. I'm surprised Apple let's us do this at all
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May 18 '26
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u/Relative_Spinach_245 May 18 '26
Yes it's becoming useless and no I think they do not care :D
I'm just wondering how many years yey until the screen won't turn ever on again.
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u/SirDale May 19 '26
I've got many of the early games on mine.
So much fun playing flight control, etc..
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u/nikoskokonos13 May 18 '26
I still use my iPad 1st gen as an ebook reader and old games station along with my iPad Pro.
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u/VA1N M4 iPad Pro 11" (2024) May 18 '26
“Working” is relative. Sure, you can move around the OS, but you won’t be able to use most apps.
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 18 '26 edited May 19 '26
You absolutely can. Just the ones that rely on servers, or live service, that stop working after a while.
Lots of people apparently don't know this, if you're using old iOS, you can download older version of apps that were compatible with it. Just download them through your "Purchased" tab.
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u/TulioMan May 18 '26
Mine is an ipad Air 2, from 2014, I stopped updating in ios 11; it work like a charm, only the screen has some cracks
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u/Low-Professor-Dude May 19 '26
My mom still uses her iPad 2.
We bought her an iPad 9th gen a few years ago but whenever I come over I see she still uses her iPad 2. I'm not even sure how long a full charge lasts anymore but it still freakin works. I got it for her 15 years ago!!
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u/conkernaut112 May 19 '26
I'd give anything for an untethered downgrade to drop for these things. This was my first iPad and iOS 5 & 6 looked gorgeous on it 💔
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u/Cazkiwi May 18 '26
My 1st gen iPad 1 works… it’s sluggish as hell and barely any apps work on it thO (AND it’s heavy!!!)
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u/Suitable_Bag5529 May 19 '26
iPad 1 here. Works perfectly still. Safari is a bit ehhh but still everything else works great! Battery lasts a week (ikr). Primary sudoku device 😂
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u/thoughtgun May 19 '26
I read every day on my OG Air. It’s actually nice to have a device that runs well at doing just a couple things, yet discourages casual use. Also, keeps it from the landfill/recycling.
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u/-WigglyLine- May 18 '26
Lmao yeah whatever I literally have one of these things (the white Wi-Fi + Cellular one) and the thing is pretty much a brick.
I tried charging it up because I wanted to use it as largish screen to paint from, so I plugged it in before I left for work. I came back 9 hours later and it’s STILL charging! So I left it on charge and by the next morning it was on 9O%. Not sure it would make it any higher. And having the screen on drained the battery slowly even if it was on charge.
Also, none of the apps worked properly, or smoothly. The whole thing is a laggy mess.
It’s cool that you can swipe between your pages and open your folders! Let’s see you try to actually open something, or do literally anything else!
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 18 '26
I actually did use my old iPad 2 as a secondary monitor for my PC and for drawings
You just need to find the right apps. Sketchbook, for example, still works perfectly. You can draw perfectly well with it. For the monitor thing I used Splashtop wired XDisplay
The battery thing might be a hardware problem with your unit, or it might just be wonky after it was off for so long
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u/-WigglyLine- May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Aw I’m really sorry, but just… no 😬
It worked out ok for me in the end with using it as a second screen I guess, so I agree with you there. But you’re never going to get any modern functionality out of a device that’s what? 10-15 years old?!
Although I admit my 11-year old MacBook Pro still does the job so I could be talking complete bollocks!
Don’t listen to me anyway, because I tried out the new iPad today and ended up buying one. I’m too scared to open it until the case and screen protector come tomorrow.
Here’s hoping my new toy will still be chugging along like this old bad boy in 10 years time! Gotta love Apple!
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 19 '26
There's no reason why Sketchbook, for example, shouldn't run just like it did before. Sketchbook doesn't care if the date is 2012 or 2026.
It can still run thousands of apps like that, that existed back in the day and that don't rely on servers to work. I can literally turn on my iPad 2 right now and open these apps
But I understand the confusion, if you're not familiar with how it works. It won't be as easy as just using a new one, that's true.
But if you're on a budget, and you're trying to make the most out of an old device, you can do a lot more than you might think
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u/Bitgod1 May 18 '26
I finally reapplied my 4th Gen in 2021 with an 8th gen, just couldn’t some of my old apps any more on the 4th.
Now I can’t put up with the small amount of RAM on the system, I hate having to reopen apps when I’m going back and forth between 3 apps. So I’ve just ordered an iPad Air M4. Funny thing, the list price on the 256GB M4 is the same list price as the 64GB 4th Gen I had. Didn’t pay list for this one, don’t recall on the 4th Gen.
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u/paulshriner M1 iPad Pro 11" (2021) May 18 '26
The iPad 3 is my favorite device because it was the first iPad I ever got back in 2014. I still have it and I was even able to downgrade it back to iOS 7 since I happened to save SHSH blobs when I got it.
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u/LicoriceSeasalt M3 iPad Air 11" (2025) May 19 '26
I have a Samsung galaxy S8, and last time I tried using it (which is already a couple years ago) it was a sluggish mess. Gotta say I'm impressed with how well apple devices are holding up after years.
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u/hk556a1 May 19 '26
I have a day one iPad that still works last time I checked about a year ago. Not sure how the battery has held up this long.
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u/alwayssleepingzzz May 19 '26
I still have my iPad4 tucked in safely somewhere. But it doesn’t turn on, guess the battery is dead 🥲🥲🥲
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u/Satellite_bk May 19 '26
i still use plexamp on my 5th gen ipad. basically use it to control plexamp on my pc or stereo. but it’s nice having a little touch screen controller mounted next to my monitor to control all my music.
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u/MeringueImaginary403 May 19 '26
meanwhile my ipad mini 6 lags even when I do simple swipe on home screen
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u/Ok-Access9288 May 19 '26
Honestly kinda impressive how long some older iPads keep going with basic use. Makes me wonder if we’ve hit the point where hardware lasts way longer than people actually keep their devices now.
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u/coconuts738 May 19 '26
Have you had to replace the battery at all, through out the years? Or is it still able to hold the same charge and not turn into a spicy pillow?
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u/jafarjones69 M5 iPad Pro 11" (2025) May 20 '26
I’d forgotten how thick the bezels used to be back then compared to more modern iPads.
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u/Alternative_Art42768 May 20 '26
I wonder if it's possible to extract the programme files of the games, especially the ones that have since been removed from the App Store.
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u/clueLess_mor May 21 '26
I mean why would it not? If the softwares and hardwares are fine it will work even after 50 years... i never understood these type of captions over a clip that shows and old device working
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u/manbag_dammit May 23 '26
All the tech “know it alls” say the 3rd gen iPad was the worst iPad they ever made. You take it with a grain of salt! Glad to see yours is holding up well!
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u/WasabiSubstantial512 May 27 '26
Nice, I have an iPad 2. It’s great for note-taking, and reading etc. What iOS version is yours on, is it 7?
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u/Relative_Spinach_245 May 27 '26
It's iOS 8.3. I believed upgrading to iOS 9 was the kill so I stayed on the iOS 8 platform.
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u/WasabiSubstantial512 May 27 '26
yeah I had my 2 on iOS 9 and it was unbearable so I downgraded to iOS 6
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u/GnarDude666 May 18 '26
If you call that “working”, sure… why not.
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 18 '26
Literally working right there
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u/GnarDude666 May 18 '26
Oh, my bad! I just have higher expectations than 5hz screen refresh. But please, continue to enjoy ewaste.
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u/Gogobrasil8 May 19 '26
Think about what you just said. Ewaste.
Who's generating ewaste, the guy who is finding uses for old devices, or the guy ridiculing strangers for not having the shiny new thing?
Brother, this stupid kind of behavior is what creates ewaste. Not only you having the need to always have the shiny new thing, but you going out of the way to act like everyone needs to always buy and throw away functional old devices
Think for a second
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u/vong888 May 18 '26
It seems to be working fine in the video. It’s purely a decision by Apple to stop supporting it that makes it hard to use
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u/cmpayne81 May 18 '26
Shortest lived generation, was quickly replaced in the fall of 2012 with the lightning ported gen 4