The iPad Air 2 VS 2018.
The iPad Air series has been phased out. It’s really just a body style, which the 2017 iPad non pro took.
The iPad Air 2 released in 2014 with iPhone 6 hardware, and a 9.7 inch screen. It uses the same cases as the iPad Pro 9.7 inch, the 2017 iPad 9.7 inch and the iPad Air 1.
We have had the Air 2 for 2 years almost, we got it for free from a raffle, and I must say, it still stacks up to what it should be. With it, I have used iOS 9.3, iOS 10.1 and now iOS 11.2.6. I got each but 9.3 literally hours after launch and didn’t update for weeks while using it. I just updated from 11 to 11.2.6 yesterday. The only glitch I have ever encountered was mildly frustrating, and for a few hours it couldn’t tell it’s screen orientation.
With iPads, not all apps have iPad versions. One notable app for me is Instagram. The iPhone to iPad app conversion that Apple does automagically is terrible to say the least. Using most iPhone apps is slow, and choosing whether or not to use an iPhone in the middle of your iPad or an iPad Mini in the middle of your Air 2 is uncomfortable.
Well, what about everything else? How does it actually run apps? How does the camera hold up? I’ll answer those 2 right now. Apps like Reddit, Discord, Facebook and YouTube run really well. Games as well. The camera is a piece of shit compared to even my iPhone 4, unless you have very good lighting, and on top of that it is very annoying it doesn’t have a flashlight, or flash.
Also, the Air 2 was one of the first iPads with Touch ID. I do have to say it is convenient to have at times. I do also have to say depending on what case you use, your fingerprint CAN be obstructed. Also I have to say finally about Touch ID is that it is relatively slow. If you are coming from a iPhone 7 or 8, it will be very slow, but coming from just a 5S (The first iPhone with Touch ID) it does feel quite a bit slower. The nature of how you use an iPad simply doesn’t allow as well for you to unlock with Touch like you can with a phone. I usually find it better to have a 4 digit pin code.
