iOS 8.0.2 on iPad 3 Review

This iOS 8.0.2 review on the iPad 3 looks at how the new software performs on this older iPad. Although not as old as the iPad 2, there are some issues with iOS 8 on the iPad 3 that users need to know before upgrading.

After spending a week using the iPad 3 on iOS 8.0.2 the performance is better than I expected, but it is still slow and some users may want to wait for the next update before upgrading to iOS 8 in any fashion.

In this iOS 8.0.2 review I’ll look at how the iPad 3 handles the update and help you decide if iOS 8 is worth installing on this old iPad or if it is better to wait for the iOS 8.1 release coming later this month.

Small updates like the iOS 8.0.2 upgrade focus on specific fixes, so there is not any major performance gain from the first iOS 8 update, but there is a chance that you will run into additional bugs. Small updates can break major features, like we saw in September with the iOS 8.0.1 update knocking out cell service for over 40,000 users.

Here’s our iOS 8.0.2 review on the iPad 3 with a detailed look at 5 key areas relating to performance and reliability.

iOS 8.0.2 Performance

After installing iOS 8.0.2 on the iPad 3 I check key areas to make sure the iPad still delivers a usable and enjoyable experience. This is primarily my wife’s iPad, but I use it somewhat regularly so that I know how it feels and performs. As the primary user she is also more sensitive to small bugs and issues which she shares after the update.

Apps

Loading an app like Spotify on the iPad 3 is much slower than on newer iPads, and perhaps slightly slower than on iOS 7, but overall the apps work well on iOS 8.0.2. Spotify, Facebook, Pinterest and many other apps work as expected without the crashes we see on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

iOS 8.0.2 Battery Life

After using the iPad 3 on iOS 8.0.2 for more than a week there is no change tot he battery life from iOS 7 or iOS 8. Users can still expect close to 10 hours of battery life from the iPad and incredibly good standby time.

Connectivity

There are no connectivity issues on the iPad 3 running iOS 8.0.2 in my testing. I can connect to WiFi without trouble and Bluetooth headphones work with music and other audio on the iPad 3. There is no cellular connection on this model, so it is not something I can test.

iOS 8.0.2 Bugs and Fixes

Surprisingly there are not any major iOS 8.0.2 problems on the iPad 3. With connectivity working and apps not freezing or crashing the older iPad avoids many of the common problems plaguing newer iPhones.

Speed

Overall iOS 8.0.2 feels a little slower than iOS 7 on the iPad 3. The change is not dramatic enough to ruin the iPad experience, but there is no improvement in iOS 8.0.2. Hopefully iOS 8.1 or iOS 8.2 will focus on performance enhancements. The iOS 7.1 release targeted performance on older iPhones and also delivered faster speeds on the iPad 3, so there is hope that things will improve.

Should iPad 3 Owners Install iOS 8.0.2?

The iPad 3 performance is still not speedy on iOS 8.0.2 but there are not as many show-stopping issues as we see on the iPhone 6 Plus and other devices. I can still use this iPad to browse the web, watch movies or listen to music and Bluetooth connectivity works with headphones. I don’t plan on connecting this to my car, so any iOS 8.0.2 bugs relating tot hat are not a major drawback.

If you are already on iOS 8, you may as well install iOS 8.0.2 on the iPad 3, but if you are still on iOS 7.1.2 it’s worth waiting to see how iOS 8.1 performs on this device before you upgrade.

iOS 8 vs iOS 7 Walkthrough - Home Screen

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We start our iOS 8 vs iOS 7 walkthrough with the iPhone home screen, which is where you'll start your iOS 8 experience after an update this fall.  These screens are incredibly important as you see them anytime you turn on the iPhone or need to choose an app to launch. There is no way around using them, so Apple needs to make sure they work just right.  As you can see in the iOS 8 vs iOS 7 comparison above, there is no change between the home screen in the new iPhone software. Apple changed the status bar and some other small visual changes in iOS 7, but there are no updates for iOS 8.   We could see Apple change the home screen slightly for iOS 8 for the iPhone 6. The new iPhone will feature a larger 4.7-inch display with a higher resolution. This is something Apple may use to add more icons to the screen. Or they could stick with the current layout, it's tough to tell.

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