iPad (/ˈaɪpæd/ eye-pad) is an iOS-based line of tablet computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPad was released on April 3, 2010; the most recent iPad models, the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3, were revealed on October 16, 2014 and were available for pre-order on October 17. The user interface is built around the device's multi-touch screen, including a virtual keyboard. The iPad includes built-in Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity on select models. As of June, 2014, there have been over 200 million iPads sold since its release in 2010.[7]
An iPad can shoot video, take photos, play music, and perform Internet functions such as web-browsing and emailing. Other functions—games, reference, GPS navigation, social networking, etc.—can be enabled by downloading and installing apps. As of October 2013, the App Store has more than 475,000 native apps by Apple and third parties.[18]
There have been six versions of the iPad. The first generation established design precedents, such as the 9.7-inch screen size and button placement, that have persisted through all models. The iPad 2 introduced a whole new design which also added a dual coreApple A5 processor and VGA front-facing and 720p rear-facing cameras designed for FaceTime video calling, and dramatically reduced the thickness of the device. The third generation added a Retina Display, the new Apple A5X processor with a quad-coregraphics processor, a 5-megapixel camera, HD 1080p video recording, voice dictation, and 4G (LTE).. The fourth generation added the Apple A6X processor and replaces the 30-pin connector with an all-digital Lightning connector. The iPad Air added the Apple A7processor and the Apple M7 motion coprocessor, and reduced the thickness for the first time since the iPad 2. The iPad Air 2 added the Apple A8X processor, the Apple M8 motion coprocessor, a 8-megapixel camera, and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and further reduced the thickness.
There have been three versions of the iPad Mini. The first generation features a reduced screen size of 7.9 inches and features similar internal specifications as the iPad 2 except it uses the Lightning connector. The iPad Mini 2 features the Retina Display, theApple A7 processor and the Apple M7 motion coprocessor, closely matching the internals specifications of the iPad Air. The iPad Mini 3 features the Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
In the last quarter of 2013, there were 26 million iPads sold, a new record, compared to 22.9 million in the last quarter of 2012.[19]
