iPad A5 2011

Along with its Wi-Fi only and CDMA counterparts, the iPad 2 (Wi-Fi/GSM/A-GPS) was promoted as the start of a "post PC" era, although it initially needed to be tethered to a Mac or PC for syncing. Like the original iPad, the GSM/A-GPS iPad 2 (A1396) is a tablet for web browsing, email, photos, videos, music, gaming, e-books, and more.

It is outfitted with a 9.7-inch (1024x768, 132 ppi) multitouch "glossy" LED-backlit IPS display and runs a version of the iOS operating system used by the iPhone and iPod touch. This allows it to run thousands of iPad-specific apps and most iPhone/iPod touch apps, but not Mac OS X applications.

It is driven by a custom 1 GHz dual-core Apple A5 "system on a chip," with 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of flash storage (32 GB and 64 GB options were discontinued on March 7, 2012, and the 16 GB option on March 18, 2014). It features front and rear cameras, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, GSM, and A-GPS support. The device is housed in a 0.34-inch thick, 1.35-pound glass and aluminum case with a black or white front and an aluminum back. Battery life is rated at 10 hours for Wi-Fi web surfing, video, or music, and 9 hours on a 3G data network.

Major differences from the original iPad include a thinner, lighter design, faster processors, system-wide mirroring, and the addition of cameras. The iPad 2 also supports the magnetic "Smart Cover" (sold separately), which protects the screen and automatically wakes or sleeps the device.

The GSM version of the iPad 2 was a very successful evolution of Apple's revolutionary tablet. Its much thinner and lighter profile made it significantly more pleasant to hold for extended periods than its predecessor. The new A5 dual-core chip delivered a noticeable improvement in speed, making apps launch faster and web browsing feel more fluid. The inclusion of cameras for FaceTime was a welcome addition, though their low quality was a common point of criticism. While the screen resolution remained the same as the original, the overall package of improved performance, a sleeker design, and great battery life, combined with AT&T's 3G network, made it a compelling upgrade and the leading tablet in the market. It was a refinement rather than a revolution, but it was a refinement that solidified Apple's dominance in the tablet space.