Evolution of the iPad: Every single iPad launched since 2010

When Steve Jobs launched the iPad in 2010, the market was dominated by netbooks, a category of laptops that were smaller than the standard-sized machines, cheaper, and less powerful. 

Hindsight is 20/20 and so when you look at that moment in retrospect, you’d see how the market was ready for a machine that could be carried around easily and could replace the bulky brick-liked computer that people were literally lugging around. 

While the iPhone and the MacBook were very much in the market, Jobs claimed that it was the iPad that offered the best browsing experience describing it as ‘holding the internet in your hands’. 

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Jobs’ hope was that the iPad would replace the original MacBook Air laptop. This prediction has taken more than a decade to come to fruition. Today’s iPads can rival most laptops, and you can do away with your MacBook altogether. 

With Apple set to unveil, among other things, the new slimmer iPad Pro with OLED display at the. Apple Let Loose event, it seems like a good time to look back at how the iPad has evolved over its 14-year history.  

Let’s go down the rabbit hole, shall we? 

iPad (1st generation)  

Launched: March 2, 2011  

The original iPad, unofficially referred to as the iPad 1, got an A4 SoC, and got a 9.7-inch display. With an operating system based on iOS, the iPad could be used to do anything from playing music to exchanging emails, browsing the web, gaming, GPS navigation, and more. It was initially marketed as a competitor to most laptops and Netbooks, offering similar performance, at a fraction of the price.   

iPad (2nd generation)  

Launched: March 2, 2011  

The 2nd-gen iPad got a faster dual-core A5 processor and a lighter build with a flat back. It was also the first time the iPad got front and rear-facing VGA cameras, allowing people to take pictures of their loved ones and their favourite places, or even take calls on FaceTime. It got 16, 32 and 64GB storage variants, which could be had with either only Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity.  

iPad (3rd generation)  

Launched: March 16, 2012  

The 3rd-gen iPad was the first iPad ever to feature Apple’s Retina display, boasting a resolution of 2,048 x1,536 pixels. This meant sharper text, more vivid and brighter colours, and sharper contrasts than ever before. It was also the first iPad to offer optional 4G connectivity, allowing users the freedom to carry on their work, or perhaps watch a movie on the go, without any hindrances.

iPad mini (1st generation)

Launched: November 2, 2012 

While the first, second and third-generation iPads were extremely capable in their own right, they weren’t exactly what you’d call light or compact. One-handed use of the devices was nearly impossible. To address precisely that, Apple began working on and unveiled the 1st-generation iPad mini in 2021. 

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Phil Schiller, an Apple fellow and a prominent member of Apple events’ keynote addresses for years now asked “What can you do with an iPad mini that you can’t already do with the 4th-gen iPad? Well, this, You can hold it in one hand,” perhaps once again, summing up the device in the simplest, cleanest possible manner. The iPad mini featured a 7.9-inch display with the same resolution as that of the iPad 2. It also got an A5 processor, the same as the latter, and Apple’s proprietary lightning connector. The iPad mini was, again, available in 16, 32, and 64GB storage variants.

iPad (4th generation)  

Launched: November 2, 2012  

Apple launched the 4th-gen iPad mere months after the third, rendering the latter older one obsolete almost as soon as it was launched. The company largely followed a “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach with it, and it was thus largely similar to its predecessor. It did get a more powerful A6X processor though, and a 5MP camera on the rear, with a 1.3MP HD sensor on the front. This allowed it to record 1080p videos. Tt was also tIe. the first generation of the iPad to come with a 128GB storage option. 

iPad Air (1st generation)

Launched: November 1, 2013  

Say you’re looking for a display as large as the vanilla iPad’s, but something that packs more punch. Well, this is where Apple’s iPad Air lineup came in. The iPad Air is an offering for those looking for seamless gaming and multitasking experiences on par with higher-end iPad Pros, in a package as slim and light as the Apple iPad mini. 

 The original iPad Air was Apple’s first tablet to be powered by a 64-bit chip, the A7. This made it way faster than any previous models in the iPad lineup. What’s more, although it got the same 9.7-inch Retina display as the iPad 4, it was thinner, at 7.5mm, and much lighter, weighing in at 478 grams as compared to the latter’s 652.

iPad mini (2nd generation)

Launched: October 23, 2013  

The 2nd-gen iPad mini got the same processor as the original iPad Air. It did however get a Retina display, while its predecessor made do with an IPS-LCD display. There was also an improved 5MP iSight camera and a dual microphone setup for the first time, to ensure both video and audio were captured clearly. The tablet also came running on iOS 7, which was Apple’s biggest update to the operating system yet.

iPad mini (3rd generation)

Launched: October 22, 2014  

The 3rd-gen iPad mini, again, featured largely the same hardware as its predecessor, the iPad mini 2. This included the 7.9-inch Retina display, a 64-bit A7 chipset, and a 5MP iSight camera. However, it did get one crucial addition. Namely, a Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Besides this, the iPad mini 3 was also made available in a new shade of Gold, in addition to the previous usual Space Grey and Silver colour options. 

iPad Air (2nd generation)

Launched: October 22, 2014  

The 2nd-gen iPad Air was the first of Apple’s tablets to feature a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The iPad Air 2 was the first to break convention by not mimicking the features of the corresponding iPhone it was sold alongside. It got a more powerful tri-core processor and 2GB RAM rather than 1GB, which is what you also got in the iPhone 6. There was also an improved 8MP iSight camera, along with split-screen and picture-in-picture multitasking capabilities for the first time. 

iPad mini (4th generation)

Launched: September 9, 2015  

The next iteration of the iPad mini got a dual-core A8 processor. It was also the first to have a slightly taller and wider body, albeit with the same 7.9-inch display. There was also an upgraded 8MP camera on the rear with ƒ/2.4 aperture. The Retina display on the device contained an anti-reflective coating that helped improve picture quality over its predecessors. The iPad mini 4 was also slightly thinner than previous iterations, at 6.1mm. 

iPad Pro (1st generation)

Launched: March 29, 2016   

The iPad Pro was famously referred to as “The biggest news in iPad, since the iPad.” It was Apple’s offering for those looking for a truly no-holds-barred experience with their device, whether for work or entertainment.  The iPad Pro was bigger, faster and more capable in every sense, than any iPad model previously released, and was positioned and is the flagship offering of the iPad lineup. 

With this, Apple finally saw through its philosophy of breaking the iPad lineup into different models across price points, each with different designs and power capabilities, each suited to individual use cases.  

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With a screen size of 12.9 inches, it was larger than all previous iPad models. However, a smaller 9.7-inch model was launched in March 2016. Strangely, it got a higher resolution 12MP camera as compared to the 8MP unit in its larger sibling, although they did get the same 64-bit Apple A9X chip. The iPad Pro saw many firsts for the iPad lineup – 4GB RAM, a 256GB storage option, and a quad-speaker setup.

iPad (5th generation)  

Launched: March 24, 2017  

The 5th-gen iPad was positioned as an entry-level offering, with the standard 9.7-inch display and a thickness of 7.5 mm. However, it now lacked a physical mute switch, got a smaller microphone, and only a dual-speaker setup. The Retina display also lacked an anti-reflective coating. However, it did get the A9 processor, and 2GB of RAM. Storage options on the device, unlike its predecessors, include a 32GB and 128GB storage option. 

iPad Pro (2nd generation)

Launched: June 13, 2017  

The 2nd-gen of the iPad Pro came with two display options – one was a 12.9-inch model, the first generation of its kind, and the other was an 11-inch one. It got an upgraded A10X chipset, and for the first time, Apple’s ProMotion Display technology. It supported HRD10 and Dolby Vision content and also got a 120Hz refresh rate. The model was also the first to get a storage capacity of up to 512GB. The two were the final models to get a dedicated home button which doubled up as a Touch ID sensor, as Face ID soon replaced it for authentication.

iPad (6th generation)  

Launched: March 27, 2018  

The 6th-generation iPad again got a 9.7-inch model. Interestingly, it was unveiled at an event held at Lane Tech High School in Chicago, a departure from Apple’s usually rather swanky launches. This is because the model, which also got support for the Apple Pencil for the first time, was primarily targeted toward students and educators. Accordingly, it also got the entire iWork suite of apps pre-installed, which was Apple’s answer to Google Suite and Microsoft Office. 

iPad Pro (3rd generation)

Launched: October 30th, 2018 

The third iteration of the iPad Pro was announced on October 30, 2018. It got an all-new new edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display, ditched the Touch ID button in favour of new Face ID support, and got a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfers.

The device was available in 11-inch- and 12.9-inch sizes, with the former sporting an M1 chipset. They were also first iPad models with a tap-to-wake LCD, and as much as 1 TB of internal storage and 6GB RAM. 

iPad mini (5th generation)

Launched: March 18, 2019  

The 5th-gen iPad mini had largely similar dimensions to that of its predecessor. However, it got a new A12 Bionic chip which resulted in speeds up to 66 per cent faster. There was also a new 7MP front camera, and a True Tone Display which allows the LCD to adapt to ambient lighting conditions around it, helping enhance colour recreation. RAM was upgraded to 3GB from 2GB, and there was a new Gold colour option too.

iPad Air (3rd generation)

Launched: March 28, 2019  

The 3rd-gen iPad Air was introduced alongside the iPhone 8. Powered by the six-core Apple A12 Bionic chip, it was also the final iteration to include a home button, a lightning port, and a headphone jack too. 

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iPad (7th generation)  

Launched: September 25, 2019  

The 7th-gen iPad was launched in September 2019, and got a 10.2-inch screen for the first time. This allowed for a smart keyboard to be used with it. Additionally, it got an A10 Fusion chip boasting of increased multitasking capabilities, support for the 1st-gen Apple Pencil, and a Retina display too. 

iPad Pro (4th generation)

Launched: March 25, 2020  

The 4th-gen iPad Pro is available with an A12Z processor for the 12.9-inch variant, whereas the 11-inch model gets an M2 chipset – Apple’s most powerful, before the arrival of the M3 chip which currently powers the latest generation MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Both devices have a 12MP wide and 10MP ultra-wide-angle camera setup at the rear, with the latter getting support for ProRes video. It also gets a 12MP camera with support for Centre Stage, and a USB Type-C Port with support for Thunderbolt and USB 4.0. 

iPad (8th generation) 

Launched: September 18, 2020  

The 8th-gen iPad didn’t offer a significant upgrade over its predecessor and sported largely the same specs, except for a new A12 bionic chip. Otherwise, it had the same 10.2-inch Retina display, an 8MP rear camera with a 1.2MP front camera, support for the 1st-gen Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard, and a Touch ID sensor on the home button.  

iPad Air (4th generation)

Launched: October 23, 2020  

The 4th-gen iPad Air, for the first time, got new colourways including Green, Sky Blue, and Rose Gold in addition to the usual Silver and Space Grey. It had a slightly larger 10.9-inch display with a 12MP rear camera and a 7MP front camera.  The Touch ID sensor was now integrated into the Sleep/Wake button, and it was also the first to support the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard Folio. 

iPad Pro (5th generation)

Launched: May 21, 2021  

The 5th-gen model of the iPad Pro is currently available only in a 12.9-inch size. It gets a dual camera setup at the rear, up to 2TB storage, a Liquid Retina XDR display with a peak brightness of 1,600 nits, and support for the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil.

iPad (9th generation)  

Launched: September 24, 2021  

The 9th-gen iPad packed an A13 Bionic chip, previously seen in the iPhone 11 in 2019. The device sported the same 10.2-inch retina display, albeit with a new 12 MP front camera in place of the usual 1.2MP unit. The base model also came with 64GB storage as compared to the previous generation’s 32 GB.  

iPad mini (6th generation)

Launched: September 24, 2021  

 The 6th-gen iPad mini saw the second major redesign to the lineup. Powered by an A15 Bionic SoC, the 6th-gen iPad mini gets an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, a 12 MP front camera with Centre Stage technology, and a 12MP rear camera with 4K video recording capabilities.

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It also ditched the home button, and the sleep/wake button doubles up as a Touch ID sensor. Volume rockers on the device are also on the top, to allow docking for the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil. Additionally, it dropped the proprietary Lightning port in favour of a USB Type-C port for charging as well as connecting external devices and accessories. 

iPad Air (5th generation)

Launched: March 18, 2022 

The 5th-gen iPad Air is the first to be powered by an M-series chipset, which was developed for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro after they ditched Intel processors. It has a 16-core neural engine (i.e.- It is likely AI-ready) which Apple claims, can perform 11 trillion operations in a second. The new model is also claimed to be 60 per cent faster than its predecessors. Interestingly, it also gets a 12MP rear camera and a 12MP front camera with Centre Stage, which tracks users on calls and always keeps them in the frame. On offer is also a USB Type-C port for charging and dual-channel stereo speakers.

iPad Pro (6th generation)

Launched: October 26, 2022

The 6th-gen iPad Pro is largely similar to the 5th-generation model, except when it comes to two crucial aspects. One, it is powered by an M2 chipset, which was Apple’s most powerful series of chipsets at the time. Secondly, it gets support for ProRes video. ProRes is a feature meant for use during post-production of videos, which allows you to vary parameters you may previously not have been able to, since normal cameras can’t capture those details in the first place.  In essence, a device with ProRes support can capture images and process them in up to an 8K resolution. 

iPad (10th generation)  

Launched: October 26, 2022  

The 10th-gen iPad is powered by the A14 Bionic chip and gets a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. It also now gets a landscape-oriented 12MP front camera, marking a major departure in the design language for the lineup. Additionally, it is wider than the previous model, at 7.07 inches, and is also the first to support the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard folio.  

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As we wrap up our journey through a journey spanning 14 years, its clear how for Apple, a user’s experience is at the very core of its ethos. From its humble beginnings, birthed as an answer to the Microsoft Tablet, to its current status as a powerhouse of productivity and creativity, the iPad has consistently pushed boundaries. And as we eagerly await the next generation, poised to be unveiled at Apple’s “Let Loose” event on May 7, we can’t help but anticipate even more groundbreaking features and capabilities, that will redefine the boundaries of personal computing once again.