Is 3rd gen iPad still good?
John Kim
Published Apr 06, 2026
On October 23, 2012, upon the announcement of the fourth-generation iPad, the third-generation iPad was discontinued.
Similarly, you may ask, is iPad 3rd generation still supported?
Seven months after its introduction, the iPad 3 was discontinued and replaced by the iPad 4. This may be the reason the iPad 3 was placed on the vintage and obsolete list while its predecessor, the iPad 2, continues to to supported.
Secondly, what can I do with an old iPad 3? 6 new uses for your old iPad
- Full-time photo frame ($199 at Best Buy) An app like LiveFrame can turn your old iPad into an excellent digital photo frame.
- Dedicated music server.
- Dedicated e-book and magazine reader.
- Kitchen helper.
- Secondary monitor.
- The ultimate AV remote.
Thereof, is 3rd generation iPad worth it?
An iPad 3, probably not much more if any. They are still perfectly good for most tasks, but not updatable in terms of IOS. Neither will be included in the iPad OS update this fall, so it remains to be seen if they will be useful after the update.
Can an iPad 3 be updated to iOS 11?
The iPad 2, 3 and 1st generation iPad Mini are all ineligible and excluded from upgrading to iOS 10 AND iOS 11. They all share similar hardware architectures and a less powerful 1.0 Ghz CPU that Apple has deemed insufficiently powerful enough to even run the basic, barebones features of iOS 10 OR iOS 11!
Related Question Answers
What can I do with my old iPad 3?
6 new uses for your old iPad- Full-time photo frame ($199 at Walmart) An app like LiveFrame can turn your old iPad into an excellent digital photo frame.
- Dedicated music server.
- Dedicated e-book and magazine reader.
- Kitchen helper.
- Secondary monitor.
- The ultimate AV remote.
What is the highest iOS for iPad 3?
iOS 9.3.5How much is an iPad 3 worth now?
Five years ago today, the original Apple iPad went on sale in the US. Since 2010, Apple has introduced cellular versions, smaller versions, and ones thinner than part of a pencil.Here's how much your old iPad is worth now.
| Model | iPad Mini 3 |
|---|---|
| 16GB WiFi | $150 |
| 64GB WiFi | $170 |
| 16GB Cellular | $160 |
| 64GB Cellular | $180 |
What is the highest iOS for iPad 3rd generation?
iPad (3rd generation)| iPad 3 in black | |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Original: iOS 5.1 Last: Wi-Fi only model: iOS 9.3.5, released August 25, 2016 Wi-Fi + Cellular model: iOS 9.3.6, released July 22, 2019 |
| System-on-chip used | Apple A5X |
| CPU | 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 |
| Memory | 1 GB LPDDR2 RAM |
What can I do with old iPad?
6 new uses for your old iPad- Full-time photo frame ($199 at Walmart) An app like LiveFrame can turn your old iPad into an excellent digital photo frame.
- Dedicated music server.
- Dedicated e-book and magazine reader.
- Kitchen helper.
- Secondary monitor.
- The ultimate AV remote.
Why is my iPad 3rd generation so slow?
Try turning on Reduced Motion. This is found in the Settings App in the General tab the left panel. In the right panel look under Accessibility, the look for Reduce Motion and turn this feature "On". You should see an appreciable performance increase on all iPad 2, 3 and 4 models.Will an old iPad still work?
Apple stopped supporting the original iPad in 2011, but if you still have one it's not completely useless. It's still quite capable of performing some of the everyday tasks you normally use a laptop or desktop PC to perform. Here are some uses for your 1st-generation iPad.Which iPad should I buy in 2020?
iPad performance| iPad | iPad Pro (2020) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rear Cameras | 8MP | 12MP wide lens, 10MP ultra-wide lens, LiDAR |
| Geekbench Scores | 767 Single-core, 1418 Multi-core | 1117 Single-core, 4653 Multi-core |
| Authentication | Touch ID | Face ID |
| Apple Pencil | First-gen | Second-gen |
Is the iPad 3 obsolete?
The iPad 3 goes from 'revolutionary' to obsolete at breakneck speed. Apple officially confirmed that the third-generation iPad is now a vintage and obsolete product, after MacRumors reported on an internal memo released to Apple Authorized Service Providers earlier this week.How old is an iPad 3?
iPad 3. Apple's third generation, 2012 iPad, called simple the New iPad was announced on March 7, 2012. It looks virtually identical to the 2011 iPad 2, but its technology is far more advanced. It has a 2048x1536 double density Retina display, a faster Apple A5X chipset with dual-core CPU and quad-core GPU.How can I speed up my iPad 3rd generation?
Has Apple slowed down my iPad deliberately?- Delete apps you no longer use. The first trick is to have a good software clear-out.
- Restart your iPad.
- Stop Background App Refresh.
- Update to the latest version of iOS.
- Clear Safari's cache.
- Find out if your web connection is slow.
- Stop Notifications.
- Turn off Location Services.
Can you jailbreak iPad 3?
Jailbreaking your iPad 3 allows you to upgrade to the latest available version of iOS, install apps from outside of the App Store, and customize your device as desired without restrictions enforced by Apple. The iPad 3 can be jailbroken by installing and using compatible jailbreak software.How old is a 4th generation iPad?
It was announced at a media conference on October 23, 2012 as the fourth generation of the iPad line, and was first released on November 2, 2012, in 35 countries, and then through December in ten other countries including China, India and Brazil.How long does an iPad last?
The average lifespan of all Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and iPod touch between 2013 and today is four years and three months, according to Dediu's calculation.Can I update iPad 3rd generation?
Answer: A: iPad 3rd generation iOS is 9.3. 5 max. There's no more iOS update for that model, you have to buy a new iPad if you want to update iOS to the latest.Which iPad should I get?
Best iPads 2020: is the iPad Pro, Mini, Air or base the best iPad you can get right now?- iPad Pro 11. The best iPad you can buy right now.
- iPad Pro 12.9. The best big iPad around.
- iPad 10.2. Apple's basic iPad gets a slightly bigger screen.
- iPad Air 10.5.
- iPad Mini (2019)
- iPad Pro 10.5.
- iPad 9.7.
- iPad 9.7 (2017)
What charger does the iPad 3 use?
18W 7.5Ft USB C PD Fast Charger for iPad Pro 12.9 inch (3rd Generation) 11 Inch 2018 New Tablet,Google Pixel 4 3 2 XL Phone AC Power Supply Adapter Cord Charging Cable.What do you do with an old iPad that won't update?
If you still can't install the latest version of iOS or iPadOS, try downloading the update again:- Go to Settings > General > [Device name] Storage.
- Find the update in the list of apps.
- Tap the update, then tap Delete Update.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update and download the latest update.
Does Apple buy back old iPads?
Apple today expanded its "Trade Up with Installments" program for iPhone to France, Italy, and Spain, enabling customers to trade in an eligible older-generation iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone smartphone and put the value of that device towards a new iPhone based on a 24-month payment plan.Does iPad 3 still work?
Apple officially confirmed that the third-generation iPad is now a vintage and obsolete product, after MacRumors reported on an internal memo released to Apple Authorized Service Providers earlier this week. Both Wi-Fi and cellular versions made the list. They join the original iPad as the second iPad to hit the list.Can I sell my old iPad?
The most well-known tech trade-in site is Gazelle. It's one of the better places to trade in iPads, but be warned that iPads tend to depreciate more than iPhones. Gazelle will pay for the device in the form of a check, PayPal deposit, or an Amazon.com gift card.What is a 3rd generation iPad worth?
Here's how much your old iPad is worth now| Model | Release date | 16GB Cellular |
|---|---|---|
| iPad | Apr. '10 | $20 |
| iPad 2 | Mar. '11 | $75 |
| iPad (3rd gen) | Mar. '12 | $95 |
| iPad (4th gen) | Nov. '12 | $145 |
Is 3rd gen iPad obsolete?
Apple officially confirmed that the third-generation iPad is now a vintage and obsolete product, after MacRumors reported on an internal memo released to Apple Authorized Service Providers earlier this week. Even with its impressive specs, the iPad 3 was the shortest-lived iOS device in history.Which Ipads are obsolete?
By "obsolete," we mean the model is both discontinued and unsupported by Apple, and it won't receive the latest versions of iPadOS.- iPad, iPad 2, iPad (3rd generation), iPad (4th generation), iPad Air.
- iPad Mini through iPad Mini 3.
How old is a 1st generation iPad?
iPad (1st generation)| Black iPad | |
|---|---|
| Product family | iPad |
| Type | Tablet computer |
| Generation | 1st |
| Release date | April 3, 2010[show] May 28, 2010[show] July 23, 2010[show] September 17, 2010[show] |
Can an iPad be hacked into?
Answer: A: Your nephew may have been hacked, but your iPad can't be hacked. iOS is a closed system, which is immune to virus/malware. The only exception to that would be if you jailbroke your iPad, which is a very unwise thing to do and is also very difficult to do.How do you update an old iPad?
Apple provides these easy steps to update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:- Plug your device into power and connect to the Internet with Wi-Fi.
- Go to Settings > General, then tap Software Update.
- Tap Download and Install.
- To update now, tap Install.
- If asked, enter your passcode.
