Happy Birthday, iPad: Apple's Tablet Turns 16

[hieranonymous]

That's actually impressive. I had the third generation iPad, and its underpowered GPU struggled from day one with that first Retina display! But it was worth it.

I remember they released the fourth-generation iPad within a matter of months to address the GPU bottleneck.

 

[CarAnalogy]

My understanding of the story was that the technology wasn't ready for the iPad yet but they could make a smaller version. They weren't yet confident of making a mobile display that big of the same quality. So they started with the smaller display.

 

[CarAnalogy]

I remember they released the fourth-generation iPad within a matter of months to address the GPU bottleneck.

And then they sold that model for four years. Ask me why I remember so vividly...

 

[mlayer]

Bought so far:
iPad, iPad 2, iPad 8, mini, mini 2, mini 4, mini 5, mini 6, Pro 10.5

When the time comes, I'll probably get the next mini because for me that's the perfect "third" device Steve Jobs envisioned.

Happy Birthday, iPad. I bought the first iPad at the original Palo Alto store that Jobs himself visited on Day 1.

 

[Pinterra]

And it took 15 of them for Instagram to make a proper app!

 

[WestonHarvey1]

I had this day 1. It was... underwhelming.

 

[Baritone_Guy]

I had this day 1. It was... underwhelming.

I was on day 2 myself. Was out of the country.

 

[drunkaviator]

I remember they released the fourth-generation iPad within a matter of months to address the GPU bottleneck.

Haha, that was a painful one. Still I kept that 3rd gen for years, eventually replacing it with the excellent iPad Air 2.

 

[minik]

I still have one in front of me with the packaging. It didn't really change much in the last 16 years except expanding the line up.

 

[klasma]

16 years of big phone

It can’t actually phone. Big phone was from 2014 on.

 

[jsavvy]

programming? how, Xcode is not available yet.

I wish Xcode was available on the iPad, but I'm not sure it ever will.

I don't program for Apple products so Xcode isn't what I use on the daily. I set up code-server a while back and it has been handy for some development. It is a fair amount work to set up though. Then there is an editor that only works on Windows for a specific piece of software I work on, so a simple remote desktop does the trick.

I haven't messed with Visual Studio Code for the web, but I heard there is a way to edit on the iPad and connect it to your server/desktop/other computer through a secure tunnel to do the computing while it shows the results on your iPad. I might look into this more.

 

[tyranne201]

I've played iPads, deployed them, had them available to use daily, but just don't. It has never been an attractive product to me, and that is simply because I'd rather have a clamshell or phone. They're better than ever, but I still haven't found a place where it is a better option than MacBook or iPhone aside from maybe the battery life.

That’s because what’s good to finger is different from pointing devices. They will always be different. So unless there’s a dedicated app it will never be the same,

 

[tyranne201]

Stagnant product with same thing year after year after year, just like the Apple Watch.

And iphone

 

[ThailandToo]

Remember the comments back then:

"It's just a big iPod Touch..."

🤣

It’s unfortunate but still is just that. Without unlocking it from the App Store and iPadOS, it’s not anything different. The iPad Pro and iPad Air with M-series SoCs should have the OPTION to run MacOS! Let me out of ecosystem hell and let me run any app I want - but no Apple needs their cut. And it’s about that and not that MacOS isn’t a touch-OS. iPad Pro and Air are sold with $350+ keyboard with trackpads. It should run MacOS as an OPTION - not saying you or anyone personally has to run it but those of us who wish to make our $2000+ iPads run as well as a $599 MBN should get the opportunity!

 

[maswriter]

The post mentioned tablet designs that predated the iPad. I worked at AST when it merged with Grid, which had the GridPad. I also wrote an idea for a tablet computer back in 1991. It probably wouldn't have been feasible with early 90s technology, but it's fun to imagine what could have been. https://www.matthewarnoldstern.com/insights/an-ipad-in-1991.html

 

[apple2me]

I guess iPad's share of revenue is not increasing but I guess it is slightly depressing that services are taking over all the hardware stuff. This does not show the overall growth but still amazing to see.

Original article: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/apples-50-year-journey-garage-tech-titan-2026-04-01/

 

[macfacts]

I love my iPad, but it’s mind boggling to me that 16 years in, the iPad still won’t run the full version of office apps like Word and Excel.

Maybe in another 16 years…

let me fix that complaint of yours, the iPad still can't run mac OS apps.

 

[SidricTheViking]

I’ve gone iPad 2 > iPad Air 2 > iPad Air 4th gen. > iPad Air M4 (upgraded last month). It’s still my favourite computer. It’s especially brilliant for creating Keynote slideshows (without keyboard or Pencil, in my case).
For those of us who love them, they’re the most convenient, intuitive and versatile gadget there is.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Stagnant product with same thing year after year after year, just like the Apple Watch.

It’s an aluminium and glass shell, what more can it do make coffee?

 

[CopyChief]

I won one in an online contest. It was supposed to be the one with the biggest storage -- 64GB and cellular! -- but ended up being the 16GB wifi. Never mind. Super cool. Even used it a bit for that first year as a laptop replacement (bluetooth keyboard) when my laptop broke. Fun memories.

 

[datsdatcharlie]

One of the best apple products

 

[coolfactor]

I love my iPads. It has replaced my computer for most tasks - programming, basic video editing, graphic design, writing, teaching; I love the Apple Pencil (just not the price) for art and simple note taking.

I do wish the iPad had a real terminal.

I’m looking forward to some progress now that the iPad is near graduation age!

There are plenty of Terminal apps.

I recommend Prompt...

Prompt 3

The 100% native SSH terminal emulator for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and visionOS.

panic.com

 

[jouster]

That's actually impressive. I had the third generation iPad, and its underpowered GPU struggled from day one with that first Retina display! But it was worth it.

The IT head at my then employer bought a bunch of iPad 3s. He got the 16GB models, and bulky cases with built-in keyboards. He installed MS Remote Desktop, and a VPN on each device. His vision of iPad use was to remote into your office Windows box and use all the apps installed there. He actually thought this was what an iPad was for. And he was a VP of IT. So...underpowered iPad....absurd use case...

I'm sure you can all imagine what that experience was like.

 

[I7guy]

I’ve gone iPad 2 > iPad Air 2 > iPad Air 4th gen. > iPad Air M4 (upgraded last month). It’s still my favourite computer. It’s especially brilliant for creating Keynote slideshows (without keyboard or Pencil, in my case).
For those of us who love them, they’re the most convenient, intuitive and versatile gadget there is.

iPad 2>ipad 7th gen>ipad pro m5

 

[turbineseaplane]

When it went retina, it was a game changer.

The first iPad mini, despite not being retina, was also game changing…

I bought one just because the form factor was so amazing even though the screen was not.

I remember it like it was just a few weeks ago. It was at a Best Buy in Florida after we had just watched Skyfall in theaters.