Yep same problem here. We updated Minecraft Pocket Edition recently and it no longer works on iPad 1. Again, we can get it to work if we turn off the WiFi (or put it into Airplane mode) but multiplay is a massive part of Minecraft these days and my two boys - who play it constantly - are no longer able to connect up. Please Please Please fix this Mojang.
I'm hopeful you will as the app page on the iOS store says it compatible and people have spent money to play this.
Still in snapshot 14w20b.
Problem found...Snow ground-cover counts as a blocking block next to sapling. Clearing snow from around saplings allowed them to grow normally. Not a bug???