iPad (first generation)
A 9.7 inch touchscreen tablet announced on January 27, 2010 that sold a million units in about a month.
Steve Jobs announced the iPad on January 27, 2010. The Wi-Fi model went on sale in the United States on April 3, 2010, and the Wi-Fi and 3G model followed on April 30. Other countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom, got it on May 28.
The base model cost $499. The screen measured 9.7 inches at 1,024 by 768 pixels. Buyers chose 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes of flash storage. An Apple A4 chip with a 1 gigahertz ARM Cortex-A8 processor ran it.
Why it matters
Apple sold a million iPads by May 3, 2010, and 3 million after 80 days. The iPad turned the tablet from a niche idea into a mainstream product.
Key facts
- Announced January 27, 2010.
- Wi-Fi model on sale April 3, 2010, starting at $499.
- 9.7 inch screen of 1,024 by 768 pixels.
- Apple A4 chip with a 1 gigahertz processor.
- 1 million sold by May 3, 2010, and 3 million after 80 days.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "iPad (1st generation)", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_(1st_generation), accessed October 14, 2026.
- Mimms Museum of Technology and Art, "Exhibits", mimmsmuseum.org/exhibits/, accessed October 14, 2026.