iOS 9 on iPad: First Impressions and Performance

As promised yesterday, Apple has released the iOS 9 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. We spent the last day with the iPad iOS 9 update, and today we want to share some first impressions of the update’s performance on day one.

Last week, Apple finally announced when it will remove the iOS 9 update and features from the developer and public beta programs. To the delight of iOS users around the world, Apple has confirmed the iOS 9 release date for September.

Yesterday, Apple delivered. The iOS 9 update started rolling out at 10:01 AM PT, and millions of iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users around the world finally have access to the company’s brand new operating system.

The iPad iOS 9 update in particular is exciting because it brings new multitasking features to Apple’s versions of the tablet list. The new Picture-in-Picture feature is just one of the highlights.

iOS 9 is a tempting update, and one that, like many others, I immediately installed on two of Apple’s most popular devices, the iPad Air and iPad mini 2. The update replaces the iOS 8.4.1 update that was rolled out earlier this year.

I spent a few hours (and my coworkers spent time with others) with both of these updates, and today I want to give you some feedback on the iPad iOS 9 update and its performance.

My initial iPad iOS 9 update impressions don’t serve as my final review of the software, but should help those still considering upgrading to iOS 9. Just remember, there are very good reasons to wait.

iOS 9 Installation

After encountering download errors on my iPhone when iOS 9 was released, I decided to wait a few hours before installing it on my iPad Air and iPad mini 2. The decision worked.

I’m using an extremely fast Wi-Fi connection and the two files were downloaded very quickly. Like the ridiculous person I am, I timed updates. The iPad Air update was completed in 13:17 minutes, while the iPad mini 2 update was completed in 11:47 minutes. This is extremely fast for a major system update like iOS 9.

Even though the most annoying iOS 9 download issues have subsided, I continue to see various complaints about the installation. If you run into issues, you’ll want to consult our list of iOS 9 issues and fixes for a possible solution.

Most of you probably won’t run into any problems at this point.

iOS 9 on iPad Performance

I will not dwell on iOS 9 features in these impressions. We have a full-length iOS 9 review that goes into detail about the best iPad iOS 9 features, including the new multitasking functions I told you about. If you’re more interested in features than performance, take a look at the review.

My iPad iOS 9 impressions focus on a few key areas. Before I get into these, please note that I am only one person with a version of the Wi-Fi enabled iPad Air and the AT&T iPad mini 2.

It’s very likely that I don’t use the apps you use, and I probably don’t use my iPad the way you do. Mileage changes all the time when it comes to iOS updates, so use these notations as a general guide.

iOS 9 Apps

Apple’s iOS 9 update has gone through a long beta process, with developers and the general public encouraging it for bugs and issues.

As the iOS 9 release date approaches, we are starting to see the fruits of the developers’ efforts. Several developers have released app updates with iOS 9 support. I downloaded them all in hopes of a smooth transition from iOS 8.4.1 to iOS 9.

Surprise, I’ve had no major issues with any of my core iPad apps. My core suite of apps includes Asana, Slack, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Gmail, Hangouts, Chrome, Dark Sky, Amazon, SoundCloud, Spotify, and Xbox One Smartglass. Same with iPhone.

None of these, even Chrome, work since iOS 9 release. The stability is impressive and I hope it continues.

If you’re having issues with your apps, check out our list of fixes for iOS 9 issues.

iOS 9 Battery Life

I’ve only been testing the official iOS 9 update on the iPad Air and iPad mini 2 for a few hours, so I can’t give you the impression of long-lasting battery life yet.

What I can tell you is that at least I haven’t had any major battery life issues yet. I did not notice any abnormal discharge during use and I did not see any rapid reduction when the sheets were in standby mode. This is very important because my iPads are in standby most of the time. (I mostly use the iPad at night.)

I haven’t seen any widespread complaints about iOS 9’s battery life, and that bodes well for all iPad users. Typically, major battery drain issues are detected right after a release. I’ve seen complaints but they’re all isolated.

If you’re struggling with battery drain issues after installing iOS 9 updates (of any type) on your iPad, check out our tips and fixes. There are some things out there that will almost certainly help you troubleshoot the problem.

iOS 9 Wi-Fi, Cellular Data and Bluetooth

I tested both devices with several different routers and did not notice any issues with the Wi-Fi connection. Both have a stable connection and I was able to achieve solid download and upload speeds.

I was also able to pair various Bluetooth devices with them. The few speakers and headphones that went around all worked with the iPad Air and iPad mini 2, and my colleague Josh Smith said Bluetooth works on the iPad Air 2.

I only have cellular data on the iPad mini 2 and AT&T’s LTE network is fine. No complaints so far.

If you encounter cellular data issues, which you might encounter, please check our list of fixes.

iOS 9 Issues on iPad

As the smoke clears, iOS 9 issues are starting to appear. Most of these are common problems like battery drain. Some are weird errors like a problem downloading updates in the App Store.

So far I haven’t noticed anything suspicious on my two iPads. This doesn’t mean there are no bugs on board, it just means I haven’t detected them yet. I’ll definitely be researching over the next few weeks but so far everything seems fine.

This is hardly surprising, as Apple has focused on improving iOS performance after last year’s crash. I hope they stay stable. Still nothing has leapt to me yet.

iOS 9 Speed

iOS 9 is extremely fast on the iPad Air and iPad mini 2, and I hear the same for the iPad Air 2. (My girlfriend has an iPad Air 2.)

Animations and transitions are fluid and I haven’t encountered any serious slowdowns on either device yet. iOS 8 has treated both of these devices well, so I’m sure the pace will continue in the coming weeks. We’ll see.

Should You Install iOS 9 Now?

For most of you, I think iOS 9 will be a solid upgrade. I enjoy the new features (especially multitasking) and haven’t seen or heard of any common bugs or performance issues with the iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, or any other model.

There are issues, they always are, but they are isolated and if you do some prep work, you should come out of the iOS 9 update unscathed.

If you’re feeling nervous, you can always wait a few days for more feedback to arrive. I’ll be back in a week or so with a full review of the iPad iOS 9 update.