iOS 11 left behind some Apple phones and tablets as far as support goes and now more models are being phased out, on the hardware/service front. Today we learn that Apple will add the iPad third gen slate to the obsolete products list starting with October 31st 2017.
The info comes from an internal memo distributed to Apple Authorized Service Providers and verified by MacRumors. The memo mentions that both the WiFi and cellular models of the third gen iPad will be deemed “obsolete” all over the world. That happens everywhere except California and Turkey, because of some legal stuff from the regions. This means that Apple Authorized Service Provides will no longer repair or service the tablet, since it surpassed five years since it was last manufactured.
In California third gen iPad owners can still obtain service from Apple Stores or by contacting Apple support. The extended coverage lasts till October 2019. The iPad 3 debuted in March 2012 and it was the last to feature the famous 30 pin connector, which was phased out in favour of a Lightning port just months later. The iPad 3 was a bit of a bummer, plagued by some overheating and some lag.
The CPU simply couldn’t cope with the very high resolution screen at the time, so that’s why the iPad 4 came out so fast. This device inaugurated the Retina Display, Apple A5X CPU and support for LTE in North America.
