Hacker News Reader

Comment by kobalsky | Hacker News Reader

my tinfoil-hat theory is that on each OS iteration Apple adds a new feature that leverages the latest chips hardware acceleration features and for older chips they do software-only implementations.

they ship-of-thesseus the crap out of their OS but replacing with parts that need these new hardware features that run slow on older chips due to software-only implementations.

I got the first generation iPad Pro, which is e-waste now, but I use it as a screen for my CCTV, it cannot even display the virtual keyboard without stuttering like crazy, it lags switching apps, there's a delay for everything, this thing was smooth as butter on release.

View on HN

I have the 4th gen (2020) iPad Pro with the A12X Bionic, the same chip they put in the Apple Silicon transition dev kits. With iPadOS 26 it's become barely usable, despite still being performant as ever on iPadOS 18. I'm talking huge drop in performance, stutters and slow downs everywhere.

I was considering just replacing the battery and keeping it for several more years but now I feel forced to upgrade which has me considering whether I still want/need an iPad since I'd also have to buy a new magic keyboard since they redesigned it, and they bumped the price ($1299 now vs. $999 when I got the 4th gen) so I'd be looking at $1700. Trying to hold out for an iPad Air with ProMotion.

I may be in the minority here, but I think 5 years is too short of a lifespan for these devices at this point. Early days when things were advancing like crazy, sure. But now? I have 8 year old computers that are still just fine, and with the M-series chips I'd expect at least 10 years of usable life at minimum (battery not withstanding)

That's weird. I have an 8th Gen iPad, the slowest device that can run iPadOS 26, and everything is fine on that old thing. (except the OS takes up the majority of the storage)

Interesting. Might try a factory reset then and see. There's noticable lag for me, it's especially slow when switching apps or bringing up the keyboard, as well as on first unlock. Interacting within a single app is still fine, it's interacting with the OS that's really sluggish.

Total guess but is there a tiny fan inside that got filled with dust? Maybe it's thermal throttling.

Apple has never made an iPad with a fan

How long have you been running on 26? Every iOS/iPadOS update takes a few days to stabilize.

> Every iOS/iPadOS update takes a few days to stabilize.

What in the actual world of software engineering?

It's not new. With every new iOS release the device can often spend a day or two churning and indexing stuff.

8th Gen iPad is about the same on iPadOS 26 as 18 for me, which is slow. The 32GB really handicapped it for even being usable as to even upgrade it, I have to factory reset it first. I'm replacing it with a Mini.

The iPad Air 13 with a M3 is a really nice experience. Very fast device.

weird, my iPaid Air 3 which should have the same specs has been really for at least a year. Plenty of free storage, not so many apps, all visual enhancements turned off.

I think you accidentally a word?

I have a 3rd Gen iPad Pro from 2018 and iPadOS 26 runs fine.

I have perfectly fine Mini 2 Retina, but because they blocked Safari updates and faked AppStore connectivity issues - I have just perfect display with still good battery than can be used as bread cutting board :(

Plus they don't let you downgrade to previous iOS versions on iPhones and iPads (unless you've been smart to save SHSH blobs and all that) so the only option to revert to a smooth version now is to download a sketchy jailbreak.

> A12 devices and newer

> You cannot restore to any iOS versions other than signed ones. All SHSH blobs are currently useless.

So, anything newer than iPhone X can’t be downgraded

Yep, this is pretty much how they operate. Apple has always done that to some extent. Sometimes they are even quite clear about it and use it as a marketing point to push upgrading.

At some point you have to use the new features available to you. That's not really tinfoil, just progress, and how all tech works no.

They could choose to not offer the new feature to users on old hardware, but still provide those platforms with e.g. security updates and key features like Safari upgrades.

this couldn't be farther from the truth. people still use vim and it's better than most new tech that was made post 2000s.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com