Apple launched its original iPad today back in 2010, bringing an entire genre of tablet-like devices into the mainstream.
Apple's original iPad turns 16 today
Apple's original iPad is an adult now in certain jurisdictions, and a veritable relic in the consumer electronics sphere. Even so, its impact on the broader market for tablets is hard to miss.
For the uninitiated, Steve Jobs had unveiled Apple's first iteration of the iPad at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on January 27, 2010. The device featured a 9.7-inch LED-backlit multitouch display, Apple's first custom designed A4 chip, a 30-pin dock connector, and up to 64GB storage, all for a starting price of just $499.
As for the device's raison d'être, Apple noted in its press release:
"[The] iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before."
The original iPad used a bespoke version of the iOS tailored for its bigger screen, while introducing the iBooks app and the iBookstore to better compete with the Amazon Kindle.
Unsurprisingly, Apple's first iteration of the iPad sported thick black bezels, a physical home button, and a convex aluminum back. It weighed 1.5 pounds and offered around 10 hours of battery life.
The device managed to garner sales volume of over 300,000 units on its launch day and one million units within the first month. By the end of 2010, Apple had sold over 15 million iPad units, generating $9.5 billion in cumulative revenue.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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