Apple launched the iPad to define a new mobile device category

The iPad kicked tablets into real life, rewired consumer tech expectations, and never stopped warping the market after day one.

How the first iPad landed

• Apple pushed tablets into the mainstream.
• The reveal happened in San Francisco.
• Steve Jobs framed it as a new device class.
• Skepticism flipped fast.

What the hardware looked like

• The 9.7-inch multitouch screen led the pitch.
• A4 chip marked Apple silicon ambition.
• Storage topped out at 64GB.
• The entry price shocked buyers at 499 dollars.

Software moves that mattered

• iOS was reworked for a larger display.
• iBooks debuted as a Kindle challenger.
• The iBookstore launched alongside it.
• Apps suddenly had room to breathe.

Design tells its era

• Thick bezels and a physical home button ruled.
• The aluminum back curved outward.
• The weight hit about 1.5 pounds.
• Battery life hovered near ten hours.

Sales momentum was immediate

• Launch day cleared 300,000 units.
• One million sold inside a month.
• Year-end totals crossed 15 million.
• Revenue stacked up near 9.5 billion dollars.