can OS on old iPads be updated easier than on old Android phones?

[ij7okCEu]

The mobile banking app requires Android 6. I've already been through this a year or two ago when the banking mobile app needed Android 5 and i had to buy another Samsung Galaxy S5.

Now it looks like the S5 cannot be updated from Android 5 without rooting -- a time-consuming task with no guarantee of success, especially on old, less popular hardware.

 

I've never used Apple but i can get an old iPad mini 1st generation with 16GB for $60.

Can an Apple ecosystem expert tell me whether those types of iPads can be kept updated so i can use modern mobile apps (just need mobile check deposit).

 

The other option is to buy a Galaxy S5 with LineageOS already on it with Android 9. I heard Apple devices have the advantage of being able to be wiped easier, while Android devices keep their device ID after factory reset (allegedly).

 

Please post what you think about those old iPads

 

[emosun]

if what you do in the bank app can be done in a browser you could could do it in a browser in android 6

[da na]

Welcome to the forums!

I'm not an Apple expert but I do refurbish lots of older iPads and iPhones for resale.

I can tell you that they can only be updated to a certain iOS version before they're limited in software from updating any further. Whatever banking app you use won't run on a first gen Mini IIRC - iPhone 4s which is a similar era can only go to iOS 9.3.6. I believe it is ARM86 based so most modern iOS apps won't support it

[ij7okCEu]

2 minutes ago, emosun said:

if what you do in the bank app can be done in a browser you could could do it in a browser in android 6

mobile check deposit. can only be done on a device. i've tried emulators Bluestacks and BigNox, no go.

[ij7okCEu]

3 minutes ago, Mel0nMan said:

Welcome to the forums!

I'm not an Apple expert but I do refurbish lots of older iPads and iPhones for resale.

I can tell you that they can only be updated to a certain iOS version before they're limited in software from updating any further. Whatever banking app you use won't run on a first gen Mini IIRC - iPhone 4s which is a similar era can only go to iOS 9

Thanks for the answer, i've found a list of last-supported OS versions for each generation of iPad.

https://www.techlicious.com/tip/how-to-update-an-old-iPad/

 

The idea to buy old iPad is a no-go, solved.

 

[da na]

2 minutes ago, ij7okCEu said:

Thanks for the answer, i've found a list of last-supported OS versions for each generation of iPad.

https://www.techlicious.com/tip/how-to-update-an-old-iPad/

 

The idea to buy old iPad is a no-go, solved.

 

OK, good choice there.

I do have a suggestion of an iPhone 6. They can go to iOS 13 at least, I think they can go to 14 but not 100% sure, are decently usable today and could run that banking app. They're arm64 based and use the Apple A8 IIRC so they'll probably be supported for a little longer. Can be found on ebay for under $50 in OK condition. Heck, if all you need it for is online banking... you could probably find one with a cracked but working screen and broken speakers, camera, something like that for under $30.

[Pasi123]

Galaxy S5 has an official Android 6 update which you should be able to install easily. Unless your phone is from some carrier that doesn't release updates for their phones