Recently I have been donated an old AD2012 iPad.
Model IC579 A1458 ;software version 10.3
The original device was in Dutch language which has now been changed to English. The device is in an “as new” condition
Although web browsing and e-mail is possible by using the Siri app any other app for download needs software version 15 or higher .
Question : Has anybody on this forum been involved or knows about any FOSS to give the device a new life ?
TIA for any info
Frank in County Wicklow Ireland
1 Like
None (advice) whatsoever - not sure what "Gen’ that model iPad is…
I have a 3rd gen iPad (circa 2012?) - I scored it for free, about 10 years ago, I mostly used to use it as an e-reader… I also “jailbroke” it - i.e. so I could install not App store stuff…
Jailbreaking it enabled SSH access to the BSD part of the O/S…
It’s stuck on pre-iOS 10 (iOS 9.x) . I haven’t turned it on for some time… I think Apple ended support for the 3rd gen iPad with iOS 9…
OK - so your A1458 is the 4th Gen… There’s probably not much you can do with it really… Safari will be so old lotsa websites won’t play nice… You could try jailbreaking it and enabling access to the BSD (it’s “Darwin” which is loosely based on FreeBSD). Look like Apple stopped support for it after iOS 10… Dunno what you can do with iOS 10…
I have two much (sic) newer iPads - a 6th Gen “mini” and 2nd (or 1st?) iPad Pro 12.9"… Both are still getting iOS updates (up to 17 now I think - I’ve lost count). Edit : looks like the 2nd gen iPad Pro 12.9" is not supported after iPadOS 17 (i.e. iPadOs 18 not listed against 2nd gen iPad 12.9" Pro).
It’s a shame really - iPads are quite “durable” (compared to shonky plastic junk like Samsung tablets)…
There’s also a few useful Linux/UNIX apps on iPadOS (it was just iOS before iPadOS 13) - i.e. terminal applications…
One thing I mostly use my iPad Pro for is with a MacOS feature called “sidecar” - I can use it as a 2nd monitor from a Mac - but you need a later model Mac and MacOs to take advantage of that… I don’t think I could be bother to use anything smaller than a 12.9" tablet as a 2nd monitor…
And I mostly use my 6th gen iPad Mini to read e-books…
2 Likes