Happy Birthday, iPad: Apple's Tablet Turns 16

Apple announced the first-generation iPad on January 27, 2010 and launched it on April 3, 2010.

The original iPad had thick bezels, a 9.7-inch 1024×768 multitouch display, a Home Button, and a 30‑pin dock connector.

It was the first Apple device with a custom chip, the Apple A4, and was priced at $499; Steve Jobs called it "magical and revolutionary" at an unbelievable price.

Apple had a tablet prototype in 2004 but put the project on hold to prioritize the iPhone.

Apple led the global tablet market for over a decade, expanded the iPad lineup (including 11-inch iPad, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad Pro), and held a 44.9% market share in Q4 2025.