I bought an old iPad2 for the purpose of viewing a Home Assistant dashboard via a web browser. My thinking was that the ability to browse the web was the sole requirement for a tablet for this purpose, but I was wrong: Home Assistant’s web pages apparently require a newer version of javascript than iOS 9.3.5 can handle, but the iPad 2 can only be updated to iOS 9.3.5.

So is it possible to flash a newer OS (e.g., linux) onto an old iPad 2? ChatGPT says it’s not possible because a bootloader exploit for the iPad 2 isn’t known, but ChatGPT is often wrong.

  • @tsonfeir@lemm.ee
    37•7 months ago

    Nope. You’re hosed. Can’t even put Linux on it. Great piece of hardware still, total trash.

      • @tsonfeir@lemm.ee
        24•7 months ago

        Nope. Won’t work. It did back in the day, but nothing will run on it anymore because the OS version required won’t install. I have an iPad 2, I’ve tried.

        No doubt, the hardware could run Ubuntu Touch, alas Apple are dicks like that.

      • Aatube
        1•7 months ago

        Hmm… maybe they could compile Feenix. Build tools should probably be still available.

    • Mike WooskeyOPEnglish
      1•4 months ago

      I finally got around to this and jailbreaking the iPad was as easy as you suggested. Thanks, @Aatube@kbin.social!

      But I don’t see how to install a newer browser. Cydia and Zebra seem to be able to install themes and tweaks. How would I get them to install Firefox or Chrome? Also, how would I install linux on the ipad?

      • Aatube
        1•4 months ago

        You could 1. download some virtual machine thing and install Linux 2. download build tools and build from source 3. see below

        Anyways, all of this may be more suited for searching on r/LegacyJailbreak.

    • @sir_reginald@lemmy.world
      28•7 months ago

      yeah, OP made a big mistake by thinking that an old Apple device is more valuable than a paperweight.

      They are infamous because once they reach EOL a perfectly capable device in terms of hardware becomes ewaste because of Apple’s proprietary ecosystem.

    • Mike WooskeyOPEnglish
      1•7 months ago

      Thanks for the suggestions, but you don’t sound too optimistic about them they they’re beyond my skill set anyway (except possibly jailbreaking).

      • @Sarcasmo220@lemmy.ml
        6•7 months ago

        I think its reasonable to assume a perfectly functioning, yet old, piece of hardware could be repurposed. We have all just grown accustomed to mega corporations’ design of planned obsolescence; when maybe we shouldn’t be.

          • @Sarcasmo220@lemmy.ml
            1•7 months ago

            True, no one was arguing against repurposing, and I wasn’t accusing you of such.

            Your comment said the answer was not to purchase an old iPad and use the money to get a cheap modern android tablet. My response was just to point out that not everyone may be aware of the planned obsolescence, and the particularly aggressive stance Apple takes.

            Although if the OP found Lemmy I guess there should be some assumption of being knowledgeable about the tech world 😅

  • @PlatinumSf
    2•7 months ago

    You may try a downloaded browser, they likely ship with a newer version of webkit than what’s on the system or in the store but I’m not 💯 and Google didn’t reveal any clarity on the matter.

    • @sir_reginald@lemmy.world
      5•7 months ago

      yeah I was going to suggest something like this but now I’m not sure if other browsers aren’t just wrappers around the system WebKit (this is what happens in android with Webview) or if they ship with their own version of WebKit.

        • Aatube
          3•7 months ago

          Technically it’s not “reskin”, but I am pretty sure they are required to invoke the system version of WebKit (aka. Safari’s JavaScript) since that saves storage space and makes sense. So indeed it won’t help.

          • @PlatinumSf
            1•7 months ago

            Ah, wasn’t sure if they shipped with their own version of webkit for compatibility or invoked the system call. Unfortunate that it’s the latter.

    • Mike WooskeyOPEnglish
      1•7 months ago

      I tried all the downloadable browsers. None work in this iOS. :(

  • @markstos@lemmy.world
    1•7 months ago

    Good news. You can install a newer browser in a virtual machine on some other server you have and then use some Remote Desktop software on the iPad to access the VM which can run a browser to access your Home Assistant dashboard.