iPad

The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It bridges the gap between smartphones and laptop computers, offering a large multi-touch display for content consumption, creation, and communication, powered by its custom-designed mobile operating system,…

Key facts

First appeared
2010
Category
technology
Problem solved
The iPad was created to define and dominate a new category of personal computing device that offered a more intuitive, portable, and immersive experience than a laptop for content consumption and light creation, while providing a significantly larger screen and greater processing power than a smartphone. It addressed the need for a 'third device' that elegantly filled the space between phones and traditional PCs, without the complexity or physical limitations of early tablet PCs or netbooks.
Platforms
iPadOS

Related technologies

Notable users

  • Medical professionals (for patient records, diagnostics)
  • General consumers
  • Enterprise (point-of-sale, inventory management, field service)
  • Creative professionals (artists, designers, musicians)
  • Students and educators