IPad air 1 vursus IPad air 2

I purchased an iPad Air last December, and it works very well, even with the bug iOS 8. Alex works just fine on it as well.

The main differences I'm aware of between the iPad Air 1 and 2 are as follows:

1. The iPad Air 2 has Touch ID, while the original does not.
2. The iPad Air 2 has a faster processor, though in my experience the one in the iPad Air 1 is plenty fast enough for everything I do with it.
3. The iPad Air 2 has a better camera, on par with the one found in the iPhone 6, though it does not have a flash.
4. The iPad Air 2 is slightly thinner, barely noticeable, and this has the unfortunate consequence that its battery is 15% smaller. Numerous articles online point out that the Air 2 gets significantly shorter battery life. For me, the original iPad Air gets plenty of juice to make it through the day, except that if I watch a video with the brightness turned up to max, I lose roughly 15 to 20 percent charge per hour. But that's at full brightness, and I normally have the screen brightness turned down when using the iPad for other things.

There may be other differences, but those are the ones I can think of.

You know, I didn't know they removed the mute switch until you mentioned it. A quick Google search confirmed this change. Personally, it wouldn't bother me because I rarely use the switch. Besides, on my iPad Air I have some difficulty getting the mute switch to lock into place, so I've occasionally had VoiceOver start rapidly saying "muted" and "unmuted" until I repositioned the switch. I believe it's an issue with my particular unit and not an issue affecting iPad Airs in general.

In any event, if you think you would want to use that switch, that might impact your decision. I think that accessing the feature in the Control Center ought to be good enough unless you are changing the setting frequently.

As for performance, everything I've heard suggests that the iPad Air 2 is significantly faster, especially for graphics. My point, though, is that the iPad Air is pretty fast as it is, though I cannot personally compare its performance with the Air 2 since I haven't had a chance to check one out.

And yes, you will probably get better battery life from the original iPad Air than in the iPad Air 2. This is, again, based on feedback from those who have actually used both units, which I have not. That doesn't mean the battery life of the Air 2 is bad, just not as good.

Hi. I don't have either pad, but also remember the original air is going to be a little cheaper then the two. i'll look at the air but I think I don't want anything. I guess whatever you decide is fine.

I have the Air 2! I bought my mom an Air for Christmas last year, and have used it with iOS8, and it's just a tad sluggish running Alex, as well as with Braille screen input, and a few other things. The battery life in the Air 2 is actually on par with the original Air, as the better optimized processor and double the ram helps to offset the smaller battery. Also, Touch ID is totally convenient. I've also had a Mini, and the iPad Air 2, and 3, and this is the first one I would consider replacing my laptop with for most things. In fact, I pretty much do!

The iPad Air 2 also has an NFC chip. This is currently turned off, but will probably be turned on in a later software update. This feature could be used with Apple Pay. Which only works on iPhone 6 and 6+ in the U.S. right now.

Hello,
If there isn't much of a difference between the cost of an iPad Air and an iPad Air 2 in your location/retailer, then I would suggest you purchase the iPad Air 2. People might think the cheaper alternative is always the best, but in the long run, it really isn't. The iPad Air 2 will be supported for about one more year than the original iPad Air. If possible, get the new iPad Air 2. It also has an Apple A8X chip, which is even faster than the one that comes with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.