Seeing as how this is from 2013, I would probably say no. Looks like it came with iOS 7 on it, so I would think it would be a miracle if it were able to put 11 or even 12 on it. If you can, it will likely be the very last version you could put on it. I would in no way buy this. It is just much too old and slow. This is a ripoff for the price they are wanting. It is worth maybe $50 at the most.
Yep, easily updated to iOS 11. The holdup on updating earlier models was the lack of a 64-bit chip. My Air1 still performs just fine with 11.4.1, and iOS 12 Beta has been tested on devices as old as an iPhone 5s and worked just fine. Actually, the devices run better than on 11, which is a known processor hog. The iPhone 5s was the first iPhone with a 64-bit chip, so the Air1 will do just fine with iOS12.
Now, having said that, with only 32GB, this will not work for primary anything, except perhaps for a child’s use. Even then, the memory is too small once the child becomes interested in digital art or movies.
The A7 is still a perfectly usable SoC. Not the fastest of course, but far from unusable. I might argue that a new one for $329 is a better value, but if all you have is $169 and you need an iPad, you could do worse.
My Air1 is still cranking along after three years, but that’s also with a battery replacement (i.e., a trade-in for a refurb direct from Apple) midway through.
I’ll note that when battery capacity started to drop in the first one, it tanked 30% in three months. Don’t expect these refurbs to last for years and years with the same capacity.
If you’re willing to not cart around your video library – i.e., rely on streaming – 32 GB is certainly serviceable. Frankly, for the 70+ crowd looking for mainly for email, streaming audio and Netflix/Prime Video, it’s a fine model for medium/light use. With some of the new 9.7" with 64GB going for less than $300 on special deals, though, it’s not a huge amount to step up to a better device.
![[Preview 1]](https://d3gqasl9vmjfd8.cloudfront.net/c60768a8-6e95-4d8d-b30e-c56fc61ba320.jpg){kind=link}
