Over-the-air beta updates are not working on my iPad 2

Dear Apple,

I must have a very special version iPad 2: mine simply refuses to install beta releases of iOS over the air. More specifically, it refuses to activate properly after the installation is complete.

My iPod Touch does this without a hitch: under Settings – General – Software Update I just click on “Update Now”, and after the installation I put in my password, and everything is as it should be, just like with a “standard” new iOS release installed over the air.

My trusty old iPad 2 however (64GB 3G Version) hangs on the activation screen for two minutes, and then gives me the message that it could not be activated. End of story.

What I then have to do is

1. download the latest beta for my device from the iOS Dev Center manually
2. shut down my iPad
3. start up iTunes and make sure I have a USB cable attached to my computer
4. while holding down the home button, insert the USB cable into my iPad (it’s called DFU Mode)
5. iTunes will offer to restore my device
6. select “restore” while holding down CMD (or ALT on PC I believe)
7. a dialogue window lets me browse to that .ipsw file I’ve downloaded in step 1

This will work, however it will wipe my iPad and I need to restore it from an iCloud backup – which can take an hour or more depending on the amount of stuff I have installed.

My point is: it’s tedious, and clearly doesn’t have to be like this. I’ve read reports from other developers who are experiencing the same problem – mainly on 64GB iPad 2’s with 3G. Is it because those devices are no longer for sale? Have the activation servers been switched off for our devices?

Outraged,

Disgruntled from Haringey