iPad facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

iPad

iPad Pro (6th generation)
Developer	Apple Inc.
Manufacturer	Foxconn (on contract) Pegatron
Type	Tablet computer
Release date	April 3, 2010; 14 years ago (April 3, 2010) (1st generation)
Units sold	677.7 million as of 2022^[update]
Operating system	iOS (2010–2019) iPadOS (2019–present)
Connectivity	WiFi, cellular, 30-pin dock connector, Lightning connector, USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, 3-pin "Smart connector"
Online services	iTunes Store App Store iCloud Apple Books Podcasts Apple Music Apple Wallet
Related articles	iPhone, iPod Touch (comparison)

The iPad is a small tablet computer made by Apple Inc. Apple first showed it on January 27, 2010. It is larger than a smartphone and smaller than a laptop computer. It has a multiple-touch interface (use two or more fingers to do certain things). It is different than a laptop in that it doesn't have a keyboard. Instead, it has a "virtual keyboard" using the touch screen, and a physical keyboard can be added. Because it does not have Adobe Flash, it does not crash like a computer can, but some websites will not display correctly.

History
Later models
Accessories
Software
Usage
- Education and healthcare
Interesting facts about iPad
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

History

Apple made an early version of a tablet computer in 1993 called the Newton MessagePad. It had similar functions to the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad except it didn't have advanced things like the internet or a voice program. Apple stopped making Newtons in 1998.

Apple re-entered the mobile device market in 2007 when the iPhone was released. Some of the iPhone's features are based on the Newton.

By the end of 2009, rumors about the iPad had been around for several years, and on January 27, 2010, Steve Jobs announced the iPad. It was not the first tablet to be sold, but it was the first one to sell in large numbers. It also was the first one that was controlled almost entirely by fingers touching the screen. Many of the earlier tablets (and PDAs, or personal digital assistants) used a lot of buttons or a stylus to control the tablet.

The first generation iPad was able to be bought in the United States in April 2010 and in most of the rest of the world within several months.

Later models

iPad and iPad Pro

Apple announced the iPad 2 on March 2, 2011, and it was released on March 11, 2011. It had a new sleeker design and had a front and back video camera. It was also much thinner and had curved edges because people complained that the first gen iPad made their hands sore.

On March 16, 2012, Apple released the iPad 3. It kept the iPad 2's design but was slightly thicker and was the first iPad to have a retina screen (the naked eye cannot tell where pixels end) for a sharper picture. It had 50% more pixels than a standard HDTV screen.

On November 2, 2012, Apple released the iPad 4 that featured an A6 processor, a new connector called Lightning that replaced the old 30-pin dock connector, and an updated FaceTime camera. They also released a new iPad called the iPad Mini that featured a 7.9-inch screen instead of the normal 9.7-inch screen, though it didn't have a retina display.

On October 22, 2013, the new iPad Air was announced. It looked like the iPad Mini but still had a full-size screen. It also had the newer A7 processor that the iPhone 5s had. At the same time, a new version of the iPad mini was announced. It had a better retina display.

On October 16, 2014, the iPad Air 2 was announced along with the iPad Mini 3. The iPad Air 2 had a thinner design than the iPad Air and had new features, such as a better camera and a Touch ID fingerprint reader. The iPad Mini 3 had the same design as the iPad Mini 2, but had a better camera and the Touch ID fingerprint reader that the iPad Air 2 had.

On September 9, 2015, Apple announced a new version of the iPad, the iPad Pro. It came with either a 12.9-inch or a 9.7-inch screen and an A9X processor. Apple made a hardware keyboard that plugged into its side, and a stylus pen, the Apple Pencil, that could be used to draw on the screen as if it was a piece of paper.

On October 30, 2018, Apple announced the new update to their iPad Pro line. The update showcased the thinnest iPad ever, at 5.7mm thin, an improved A12x processor, a larger screen, and Face ID support. The screen uses Apple's all-new liquid LED technology, first seen in the 2018 released iPhone XR. The new iPad Pro also came with a slew of accessories, including a brand new Smart Keyboard, Apple Pencil, and multiple cases. Apple also changed the charging system from their long-used Lighting connector, for a USB-C charger. Apple's new iPad Pro line came in two sizes.

Apple continues to release new products each year. As of June 2023, its latest iPad is the 10th generation with a 10.9-inch screen and an A14 Bionic processor. Its iPad Mini is the 6th generation with an 8.3-inch screen and an A15 processor. Its latest iPad Air is a 5th generation with a 10.9-inch screen and an M1 processor. The iPad Pro line has two versions: the 6th generation with a 12.9-inch screen and an M2 processor, and the 4th generation with an 11-inch screen and an M2 processor. All previous iPads have been discontinued.

In 2023, Apple introduced two new apps for the iPad: Final Cut Pro is designed for creating visual media like movies and slideshows. Logic Pro is designed for creating audio media. It is like a professional music studio for the iPad.

All iPads, like most of Apple Inc's products, are made in China and designed by Apple in California.

Accessories

Main page: iPad accessories

The Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil, 2021

Apple offers many accessories for its iPad models, ranging from keyboards, styluses, cases, to adapters; a 10 W power adapter is bundled with the device. In addition to a camera connection kit which consists of two adapters for the iPad's dock connector, one of USB Type A and one of SD card reader; these adapters can transfer photographs and videos and connect USB audio card and MIDI keyboard.

Apple's list of accessories included the Apple Pencil ― a wireless stylus pen, Smart Cover ― a magnetic screen protector that align to the face of an iPad with three folds that is convertible into a stand, Smart Case ― a fine case combining the functions of a Smart Cover and a back-protection case, Smart Keyboard Folio ― an externally-paired keyboard and a combination of a Smart Case and its predecessor, a Smart Keyboard, Magic Keyboard, ― an externally-paired keyboard similar to the formers but with integrated trackpads which the Smart Keyboard Folio and Smart Keyboard lack.

Software

Main pages: iOS and iPadOS

Since its introduction in 2010, the iPad runs on the iPhone's iOS mobile operating system, but it was later replaced with an optimized derivation, iPadOS, in September 2019.

The iPad is compatible with nearly every iPhone application through iOS, and developers can optimize these applications to take full advantage of the iPad's software.

The iOS user interface is based upon direct manipulation, using multi-touch gestures such as swipe, tap, pinch, and reverse pinch. Interface control elements include sliders, switches, and buttons.

Usage

Education and healthcare

The iPad has several uses in the classroom, and has been praised as a valuable tool for homeschooling and distance education. Soon after the iPad was released, it was reported that 81% of the top book apps were for children. The iPad has also been called a revolutionary tool to help children with autism learn how to communicate and socialize more easily.

In the healthcare field, iPads and iPhones have been used to help hospitals manage their supply chain. For example, Novation, a healthcare contracting services company, developed VHA PriceLynx (based on the mobile application platform of business intelligence software vendor MicroStrategy), a business intelligence app to help health care organizations manage its purchasing procedures more efficiently and save money for hospitals. Guillermo Ramas of Novation states, "Doctors won't walk around a hospital with a laptop. With an iPad it's perfect to walk around the hospital with as long as they have the information they need."

Interesting facts about iPad

In 2003, Steve Jobs told a technology journalist, "We have no plans to make a tablet."
Apple started to work on the iPad before it started to work on the iPhone.
The iPad was originally meant to be a device for reading books and newspapers.
“iTablet” and “iSlate” were both considered as possible names for the iPad.
During the development stage, Apple experimented with a kickstand to hold up the iPad.
The first iPad did not have a camera.
Apple sold 300,000 iPads on its first day and 1 million in less than a month.
Apple releases new products regularly. Its shortest iPad sales life was the iPad 3. The iPad 4 went on sale 221 days after the iPad 3 was introduced.
Steve Jobs did not give his children an iPad. He said, “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.”
All Apple products have a codename. The iPod is "Dulcimer," the iPhone is "Purple," the Apple Watch is "Gizmo," and the Ipad is "K48."