iPad · The Aluminum Age · 2010
iPad (1st generation)
Critics called it "just a big iPhone"; buyers made it a sensation, selling a million in under a month. The A4 inside was the seed of the entire Apple Silicon story.
iPad (1st generation): key facts
When was the iPad (1st generation) released?
The iPad (1st generation) was released in April 3, 2010. Apple discontinued it in March 2011.
How much did the iPad (1st generation) cost?
The iPad (1st generation) launched at $499 in 2010 — about $734 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the iPad (1st generation)’s specs?
The iPad (1st generation) used a Apple A4 running at 1 GHz, with 256 MB of memory and 16 GB of storage. It ran iPhone OS 3.2.
Why does the iPad (1st generation) matter?
Defined the modern tablet and shipped Apple’s first in-house A-series chip.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple A4 · 1 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 256 MB |
| Storage | 16 GB |
| Display | 9.7" IPS LCD, 1024×768 |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX535 |
| Ports | 30-pin dock |
| Weight | 680 g |
| Dimensions | 242.8×189.7×13.4 mm |
| Operating system | iPhone OS 3.2 |
| Released | April 3, 2010 |
| Discontinued | March 2011 |
| Launch price | $499 |
How the iPad (1st generation) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 64× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1 GHz, the clock is roughly 3.2× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 4,100 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $499 in 2010 — about $734 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
Steve Jobs unveiled it from a comfy leather armchair on stage.
Related iPad models
Open the iPad (1st generation) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25