Apple Releases the First iPad
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Apple released the first iPad in April 2010. The tablet used Apple’s A4 system-on-chip, a 9.7-inch multi-touch display, and the same basic operating-system family as the iPhone, but it was positioned for web browsing, reading, video, games, and lightweight productivity.
The A4 integrated CPU and graphics functions into a compact SoC designed for mobile power limits. The iPad had no fan, relied on flash storage, and achieved roughly ten hours of advertised battery life. Its App Store compatibility meant it launched with access to an existing software ecosystem while developers created interfaces specifically for the larger display.
Tablets had existed before, but the iPad made the category mainstream. It also pushed software makers to reconsider applications that had been designed either for a mouse-and-keyboard PC or for a small phone screen.