iPad mini 2 iOS 8.1.2 Review

At the beginning of last week, Apple rolled out its brand new iOS 8.1.2 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The company’s new iOS 8 update is a bug fixer, aimed at squashing iOS 8 problems. Over the past week, we’ve spent some quality time with Apple’s new software and today we want to share our full iPad mini 2 iOS 8.1.2 review.

Weeks ago, Apple pushed out its iOS 8 update with new features and enhancements in tow. Almost immediately, iOS 8 problems started plaguing owners of the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. This is typical of a major iOS update and we, and many others, expected Apple to push out an iOS 8.0.1 update shortly after its arrival.

Right on cue, Apple pushed out an iOS 8.0.1 update with assorted bug fixes on board though it did not have the intended results. While it did deliver some fixes, it also broke cellular connectivity and Touch ID for some users. These issues forced Apple to quickly go back to the drawing board and a day later, the company conjured up an iOS 8.0.2 update that tackled those problems and delivered fixes to those that didn’t have the opportunity to upgrade.

Next, the company pushed out a massive iOS 8.1 bug fixer in an attempt to kill off many of the remaining iOS 8 issues. The company then followed that up with an iOS 8.1.1 update that, unlike most smaller updates, went through the beta program. In our eyes, iOS 8.1.1 was the most stable iOS 8 yet though Apple’s work is clearly not done.

Earlier this month, Apple pushed out an iOS 8.1.2 update with even more bug fixes on board. iOS 8.1.2 is a tiny update but as many of you know, the tiniest iOS updates can make a huge impact on performance. In fact, we’ve been hearing about iOS 8.1.2 problems for about a week now.

With those in mind, I’ve been taking a look at Apple’s iOS 8.1.2 update on a number of devices including the second-gen iPad mini. Today, I want to offer some feedback to those that might be leery of the update and to those that are already on iOS 8.1.2. This is my full iOS 8.1.2 on iPad mini 2 review and it will attempt to answer the question that we’ve received many times over in the past week: Is iOS 8.1.2 worth installing? Let’s find out.

iPad mini 2 iOS 8.1.2 Review

Since Tuesday, I’ve spent a ton of time with iOS 8.1.2 on the second-generation iPad Air. For those that don’t know, I’ve owned the iPad mini 2 for just about a year now. I bought it shortly after it arrived in the fall of 2013. Before getting into this detailed review and my impressions, I should note that mileage is going to vary from device to device, person to person.

That is to say, I probably don’t have the same apps installed and there’s a chance that I use Google Chrome, play more games, and use my home screen more than you do. So, consider this a general guide as you try to decide whether iOS 8.1.2 is worth installing on your iPad mini.

Apps

Over the past week, I’ve spent a ton of time with the 50 or so applications I have installed on board the iPad mini. I typically don’t use all 50 on a regular basis but for the sake of the review, I’ve spent as much time as possible with my third-party apps. So far, my experience has been extremely stable. I’ve run into the occasional slowdown when using Netflix and Facebook and I’ve experienced the occasional crash with Google Chrome but none of the problems are frequent.

Apps like Instagram, Slack, Asana, Google Hangouts, Twitter, Dark Sky, Amazon, Netflix are all are functioning as advertised with iOS 8.1.2 on board Apple’s second-gen iPad mini. Developers have done an outstanding job with iOS 8 and my overall experience after the update has been nothing short of outstanding. That continues with iOS 8.1.2.

If you are having issues with applications right now, with iOS 8.1.2 or something else on board, my suggestion is to go ahead and install as many bug fix updates as you possibly can. Most of the time, these updates work out the big kinks. You would also be wise to switch automatic updates on. In another life, I used to forget to install bug fixers. Now, I don’t even have to think about it. The operating system downloads the software for me.

iOS 8.1.2 Battery Life

I am still getting extremely solid iPad mini battery life with iOS 8.1.2 on board. I haven’t noticed any abnormal battery drain, standby is still holding an excellent charge and I’ve been able to charge the device relatively fast. Battery life has remained consistent over the last year so this outcome isn’t much of a surprise at all.

I’ve been getting feedback from fellow iPad mini users and I’ve been monitoring feedback on other sites and thus far, I haven’t seen too much complaining about battery life. Typically, when there are major issues, I see complaints right off the bat. So, my guess is that most people are having the same kind of experience that I am.

iOS updates like iOS 8.1.2 aren’t supposed to bring battery life problems along with them. Typically, bad battery life is caused by third-party apps or by users themselves. I’ve outlined a number of strategies to get better battery life inside iOS 8 and the same advice applies to Apple’s latest iOS 8.1.2 update. Have a look at those if you install iOS 8.1.2 and you start noticing something suspicious.

There’s no guarantee that those fixes will work for you and your slate. At the very least, I recommend monitoring your applications to see if they’re the problem. Apps like Facebook have been known so burn a ton of battery life while in use and there’s a chance that a rogue app is causing problems on your device. Do your homework before blaming the iOS 8.1.2 update for your battery life woes.

Wi-Fi, LTE & Bluetooth

So far, connectivity has not been an issue with iOS 8.1.2 on board. I haven’t stumbled into any connection problems with AT&T’s 4G LTE network. I haven’t noticed any Wi-Fi problems and I’ve yet to encounter any issues with Bluetooth. All of these connections are working exactly like they did prior to the iOS 8.1.2 update.

Now, just because I’m not running into iOS 8.1.2 problems doesn’t mean that others aren’t. That’s precisely why I’ve put together a list of possible fixes for these problems. They’re a good starting point for those of you seeking fixes but again, there’s always a chance that you’ll need to look elsewhere for the fix that works for you. If all else fails, take the device to an Apple Store or contact the manufacturer of your router.

Bugs & Issues

I’ve discovered a number of iOS 8 problems on the iPhone but the iOS 8 update for the iPad has been far more stable. I simply haven’t noticed any major issues on the iPad Air or iPad mini 2.

I haven’t run into any noticeable iOS 8.1.2 problems in the past week. Larger issues typically jump right off the page while minor problems are a little harder to spot. I haven’t noticed anything wrong and I’ve been searching everywhere. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t bugs on board it just means that I haven’t discovered them after a week of continual use.

Bugs have a funny way of popping up weeks down the road so I might stumble into some in the days ahead. But given the solid experiences I’ve had with iOS 8 and iOS 8.1.2 thus far, I’m confident that the software will remain stable.

There are definitely some isolated issues impacting iPad users but nothing has impacted my iPad mini, at least not yet. If you do stumble into problems, have a look at our rundown of bug fixes for iOS 8.1.2 problems. These are a good starting point but you’ll probably also want to gather fixes from other places as well. Remember, these fixes aren’t guaranteed to work so you’ll need to keep an eye out for other potential remedies.

Speed

I’ve never encounter any speed problems on the iPad mini 2. iOS 8.1.2 is still extremely fast and animations and transitions are as fluid as ever. I haven’t noticed any occasional lag or slowdown either. iOS 8 is as fast as iOS 7 was and that’s precisely what you want from a new iOS update. Nothing has changed and I hope it stays that way.

Is iOS 8.1.2 for iPad mini Worth Installing?

After using iOS 8.1.2 for a week, I’m confident that it’s extremely stable, least on the iPad mini 2. So if you are dealing with major iOS 8 problems on iOS 8.1.1 or lower, you will want to think about installing it. From where I am standing, it’s the most stable version of iOS 8 yet. It’s worth a try if you can’t find a solution to your issue. Often times, incremental updates will dislodge problems that aren’t listed on the change log.

If you’re having a solid experience on another version of iOS, I think the update is worth considering, especially if you’re still on iOS 7. That said, I recommend pulling in some more feedback from other iPad mini users before settling on the iPad mini 2 update. While my experience has been great, I’m just one man with one device. You’ll want to gather a few more opinions before making the move.