Steve Jobs gave a presentation on January 27, 2010, on how Apple had created a device that would find a place between notebooks and netbooks while carrying none of the compromises of these two product classes. That product was the iPad, and it was announced with a starting price of $499.
However, Apple took its sweet time with the official release and kept customers waiting because just in the U.S., the first iPad launched on April 3, and on May 28, it made its second appearance in international markets, the first being on April 23. As you can imagine, the tablet accumulated immense success as customers queued up to get their hands on Apple’s first-generation slate.
The iPad was suffering from success, as unfathomable demand meant that Apple had inadequate supply and could not keep up the pace
Arriving in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Japan, Canada, and France, there was already sufficient momentum for the iPad in other regions. Within the first month of its inception, one million units were shipped, and it is just one of those problems that a technology company loves to witness. Unfortunately for Apple, surging demand for its first-ever tablet meant that it had to send units over to the United States from Europe.
Compared to the Cupertino giant’s 11-inch and 13-inch M4 iPad Pro models, the first iteration looks seriously dated, sporting a 9.7-inch display with massive bezels on all four corners and a 1024 x 768 resolution. It was powered by a single-core ARM Cortex-A8 running at 1.00GHz and paired with 256MB of DDR RAM. At the time, customers could get it in the 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage variants.
It is surprising to learn that Apple’s first iPad did not feature a camera, and even then, it became one of the fastest-selling products in the company’s history. Overall, the company sold an impressive 15 million units, higher than all other tablet computers combined. By the end of 2010, Apple ruled this category with an iron fist, commanding 75 percent of all tablet PC sales.
However, like all products that fall under the technology, Apple’s first iPad had numerous flaws. Several outlets stated that the device was overpriced and that a laptop would not only be cheaper but offer more utility than a glorified, oversized web browser. The first iPad was also criticized for lacking Adobe Flash support and the convoluted way of sharing files with another computer. Still, its success set the stage for the iPad 2, which was announced on March 2, 2011, and was an immediate hit, just like its predecessor.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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