Apple might kill off the iPad 2 after nearly three years on the market

The first reports of Apple’s intention to drop the iPad 2 from its lineup appeared in late 2012, yet the $399 tablet still sits on store shelves today. Over a year later, and nearly three years since the tablet’s launch,the ancient iPad 2 might finally be taken off the market this year. According to unnamed sources, consumers looking for a tablet at a slightly lower price point have begun shifting to the Retina iPad mini, displacing the evergreen iPad 2.

After nearly three years on the market, Apple’s second-generation iPad, which sports an A5 processor and non-Retina display, is now on the chopping block, and is expected to be discontinued in the near future, AppleInsider has learned. According to people familiar with Apple’s plans, the company has made the decision to ramp down iPad 2 production given that customers are resoundingly shifting purchases towards its more modern and capable iPads, namely the iPad mini and iPad Air. Apple’s iPad 2 first went on sale in March of 2011 and was an immediate success. A year later, when Apple debuted the third-generation iPad with Retina display, it continued to offer the previous-generation iPad 2 at a lower price point of $399.