iPad A5 2011

Alongside its GSM and CDMA-equipped counterparts, the iPad 2 (Wi-Fi Only) was hailed as the beginning of a "post PC" era, though it still required tethering to a Mac or PC for initial setup. Like the original iPad, the Wi-Fi only iPad 2 (A1395) is a tablet designed for web browsing, email, photos, videos, music, gaming, and e-books.

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

Powered by a custom 1 GHz dual-core Apple A5 "system on a chip," it had 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of flash storage (with 32 GB and 64 GB options discontinued on March 7, 2012, and the 16 GB option on March 18, 2014). It includes front and rear cameras, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, an accelerometer, a three-axis gyroscope, an ambient light sensor, a digital compass, a speaker, and a built-in mic. It is housed in a 0.34-inch thick, 1.33-pound glass and aluminum case with a black or white front and an aluminum back. Battery life is rated at 10 hours of "surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music."

Key upgrades from the original iPad include a thinner, lighter design, faster processors, system-wide mirroring, and the addition of cameras. It also supports the magnetic "Smart Cover" (sold separately) for screen protection and auto wake/sleep functionality.

Around March 25, 2012, Apple also quietly released a new version of this model with a smaller 32 nm processor and a different identifier, which EveryiPad.com has documented as the iPad 2 (Wi-Fi Only, iPad2,4).

The iPad 2 was evaluated as a masterful refinement of the original tablet, addressing many of its predecessor's shortcomings. The most praised change was its new design, which was dramatically thinner and lighter, making it far more comfortable to hold and use for long periods. The dual-core A5 processor provided a significant speed boost that was immediately noticeable in browsing and app performance. The addition of front and rear cameras, while of low quality, introduced new capabilities like FaceTime video chat. Its battery life remained excellent. The main critique was that the screen resolution hadn't been upgraded to Retina levels. Nevertheless, the iPad 2 was a huge success, solidifying Apple's lead in the tablet market by creating a more polished, powerful, and portable device that was simply a joy to use.