sigh! built in obsolescence specifically ipad

[Theas18]

This, more than anything makes me cross about new technology.

I have an ipad, 1st generation. Its good enough for what I need. I look after my things. It doesn't get dropped/stood on etc etc. It'll go on for ever...

BUT the beginning of the end has started. THe new Ios 6 update isn't for it.Soon many apps wont work with it (as happened with the iphone 3g).I guess a maximum of another year till it will be regulated to a thing to watch Tv on...

I have an apple tablet because there is a specific journal I read that it not available on android. Mind you...... I can use that journal on line, so not then of the world.

How long do you reckon before 1st gen ipad is completely " past it"? Seemed to take about 3yrs for the iphone 3G as DD1 was champing at the bit to get my 4 as the 3G was ridiculously slow and clunky , and the apps were pants - so thats me using it on 18 month contract andhaving the 4 for 18 months too..

How long have you had that iPad ? (Sorry, am just not keeping track of launch dates for Apple stuff [well, in truth, pretty much any stuff - netbooks and so on one knows have been around a few years, but specific issues of various Apple gear can generally be pinpointed very closely.)

regarding your subject choice...

Some would argue the same is true for Windows, but in terms of support, Microsoft firmly supports an OS for 10 years, and about 5 years in the 'next' one comes into widespread use.

With Windows Vista, a lot of business users stuck with XP and that forced Microsoft to extend support.

I have a few iMac and was surprised to find that the Chrome browser won't work on the G5, but needs an Intel CPU. Cannot justify the cost of a new Apple Mac so will probably always have devices 4 or more years out of date.

With the phones, they assume a shorter 'life' (popularity wise) so I am hardly surprised that many people will be still stuck in their contract when the next iPhone gets released. With Android, there are more choices, so one can try whatever is 'in the lead' at the time.

Had the iPad 18 months.. It's been out probably a year longer than that. My friends has hers on a 24 month contract till April 2013,

I think you have to bear in mind that most apps still support IOS4 because a heck of a lot of people have simply never updated. My friend has only just recently updated her iphone to IOS5! And that was only cos her phone had crashed so she paid someone to 'fix' it and they updated it for her!

I've an ipad1 and mainly use it for surfing Facebook, watching videos and the Internet. So it will still be perfectly usable for the next year or two. Maybe Apple will bring out some innovative feature which tempts me to upgrade but at the moment I seriously doubt it. I'm the biggest technogeeky gadget monster I know and I simply don't get the urge to upgrade my ipad.

Exactly my thoughts -I'm a bit of a techno geek too and they haven't changed it enough to make me want to upgrade!

Saw an Asus transformer in action though and was verrrrry tempted for when my buggy 5 plus year old pc dies!