The iPad: Has it really been only five years?

The very first iPad went on sale on April 3 in the US. — AFP-Relaxnews pic

SAN FRANCISCO, AFP-Relaxnews ---  Today marks the five-year anniversary of the very first iPad’s release in the US. Since then, we’ve seen the launch of nine different tablets, 9.7 and 7.9 inches in size. The release of a 10th model is imminent.

– iPad (released in April 2010): on January 27, 2010, Steve Jobs presented the very first Apple touchscreen tablet device, a new revolution three years after the iPhone. In a 9.7-inch format (1024x768 pixels), it uses iOS and grants access to thousands of dedicated apps. It came out in the United States on April 3, 2010 before gradually conquering the rest of the world in both its WiFi and WiFi/3g versions.

– iPad2 (March 2011): the second iPad, much thinner and lighter than the first, distinguished itself with the addition of cameras on the front and back of the tablet, along with a model in white.

– The New iPad (March 2012): this next incarnation is marked by the arrival of the Retina display (2048x1536 pixels) but also by the integration of Siri, Apple’s voice-activated assistant that debuted with the iPhone 4S. It was also the first 4G/LTE compatible iPad.

– Fourth generation iPad (November 2012): besides a faster processor, a better frontal camera and a new connecting cable (Lightning), this tablet didn’t present any new major improvements.

– iPad mini (November 2012): this 7.9-inch (1024x768 pixels) version of the iPad allows Apple to sync with Google (Nexus 7) and Amazon (Kindle Fire) at a moment when the small tablet market was in the spotlight. The iPad mini is also more affordable.

– iPad Air (November 2013): this iPad was much lighter and thinner than any before. Besides that, only its new chip and colour (Silver or Space Grey) set it apart from the previous model.

– iPad mini 2 (November 2013): one year after its release, the iPad mini 2 transforms in turn and now it too boasts a Retina Display and A7 chip, the same as in the iPad Air.

– iPad Air 2 (October 2014): Lighter than ever, this iPad is the first to offer the digital fingerprint Touch ID, already present on the latest generation iPhones, and an anti-glare display. The processor and main camera’s specs are improved, as is the RAM, now upgraded to 2GB. It’s also available in a Gold colour.

– iPad mini 3 (October 2014): offered in the same colour options as the iPad Air 2, the latest generation iPad mini also boasts Touch ID. Other than that, it uses all the same technology as its predecessor.

– iPad Air Plus? (2015): There are constant rumours of a new 12.2-inch iPad that would complete Apple’s range of tablets and directly compete with Microsoft’s Surface Pro. Whether or not that size is in the works, the next-generation iPad is expected in 2015.