The iPad launched the tablet market in 2010

The first tablet that reached mainstream use was the iPad, released by Apple on April 3, 2010. Before the iPad, devices called tablets existed in labs and niche markets, but they were expensive, slow, and hard to use. The iPad changed that by combining a large touchscreen, long battery life, and a straightforward interface that made sense to ordinary people. Within weeks, it became clear that tablets would become a major category of computing device.

The iPad ran Apple's iOS operating system, the same software that powered iPhones. This meant millions of people already knew how to swipe, tap, and pinch on the screen. Apple also had an app store with thousands of programs ready to read. These advantages let the iPad dominate the market from day one—Apple sold 3 million units in the first year.

Key Takeaways

  • The iPad arrived in April 2010 and became the first tablet that ordinary consumers actually wanted to buy and use regularly.
  • Before the iPad, tablets existed but were too expensive, too slow, and too difficult for most people to justify owning.
  • Android tablets from Samsung, Amazon, and others launched within a year or two of the iPad, creating real competition by 2011 and 2012.
  • Tablets filled a gap between smartphones and laptops—large enough for reading and video, but lighter and cheaper than a full computer.

Tablets existed before 2010, but nobody wanted them

The word "tablet" and the concept of a flat, touchscreen device go back further than 2010. Microsoft released the Tablet PC in 2002, which ran Windows and used a stylus for input. It was designed for professionals and cost over $2,000. It was heavy, the battery lasted only a few hours, and the stylus made it feel more like a tool than a natural way to interact with a computer. Most people saw no reason to buy one.

Before that, companies like GRiD and Fujitsu built pen-based tablets in the 1980s and 1990s, but these were specialized devices for specific industries. They never became consumer products. The technology existed, but the price was too high, the software was too clunky, and the use case was unclear. A laptop could do more, and a phone fit in your pocket. A tablet seemed to do neither job well.

Android tablets arrived quickly after the iPad's success

Once Apple proved that people would buy tablets, competitors rushed to market. Samsung released the Galaxy Tab in September 2010, just five months after the iPad launched. It ran Android, Google's operating system, and cost less than the iPad. Amazon released the Kindle Fire in November 2011, a smaller, cheaper tablet designed mainly for reading books and watching video. Google released the Nexus 7 in 2012, another Android tablet that competed on price and performance.

By 2012, the tablet market had split into two camps: Apple's iPad and everything else running Android. Microsoft tried again with the Surface in 2013, a tablet that ran full Windows and could attach a keyboard. It took years for Microsoft to get the formula right, but the Surface eventually became popular with business users and creative professionals. By the mid-2010s, tablets were a normal part of the computing landscape.

What made the iPad different from earlier tablets

The iPad succeeded where earlier tablets failed because of three things: price, software, and simplicity. The first iPad cost $499, which was expensive but not out of reach for middle-class families. Earlier tablets cost two or three times as much. The iPad also had access to the App Store, which already had thousands of programs written for iPhone. Developers could adapt those apps to the larger screen, so the iPad had useful software from day one.

Most importantly, the iPad was straightforward to use. There were no buttons to learn, no stylus to lose, no confusing menus. You tapped what you wanted, and it worked. The interface was designed for touch from the ground up, not bolted onto a desktop operating system like Windows. This simplicity made tablets feel natural to people who had never used a computer before—children, elderly people, and casual users all picked up an iPad without instruction.

Tablets filled a new space between phones and computers

Before tablets, people had to choose: carry a small phone that fit in your pocket, or carry a laptop that weighed several pounds. A tablet offered a middle ground. It was large enough to read a book comfortably, watch a movie, or browse the web without squinting. It was light enough to hold in one hand for an hour. It was cheaper than a laptop and more powerful than a phone. For reading, casual browsing, and watching video, a tablet was often better than either alternative.

This new category attracted different kinds of buyers. Parents bought tablets for their children to watch videos and play games. Elderly people used tablets to video call grandchildren and read news. Business travelers used tablets to read documents and give presentations. Students used them to take notes and read textbooks. The tablet market grew rapidly because it solved a real problem that phones and laptops could not solve alone.

The tablet market peaked around 2014 and then stabilized

Tablet sales grew fastest between 2010 and 2014. In 2014, people bought over 200 million tablets worldwide. After that, growth slowed. Phones got larger—the iPhone 6 Plus in 2014 had a 5.5-inch screen, much bigger than earlier iPhones—so the gap between phone and tablet narrowed. Laptops got cheaper and lighter, so the gap between tablet and laptop narrowed too. By 2015 and 2016, many people who owned a tablet stopped replacing it when it got old. They used their phone instead.

Today, tablets are still sold and used, but the market is smaller and more stable than it was in the early 2010s. iPad remains the market leader, and Android tablets are still available, but the explosive growth has ended. Tablets are no longer a new category that everyone is curious about. They are a mature product that some people need and others do not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Apple invent the tablet?

Apple did not invent the tablet concept—Microsoft and others built tablets before 2010. But Apple created the first tablet that ordinary people wanted to buy. The iPad proved that tablets could be straightforward, affordable, and useful enough to become mainstream. In that sense, Apple created the modern tablet market, even if they did not invent the idea.

What was the first Android tablet?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab, released in September 2010, was the first Android tablet to reach the market. It came out just five months after the iPad. Other Android tablets followed quickly, including the Amazon Kindle Fire and Google Nexus 7, but the Galaxy Tab was first.

Why did tablet sales slow down after 2014?

Phones became larger and more powerful, so they could do many of the tasks people used tablets for. Laptops also got cheaper and lighter. As the gap between phones and tablets narrowed, and the gap between tablets and laptops narrowed, fewer people felt they needed a separate device. Tablets are still used, but they are no longer a must-have product for most people.

Can you still buy new tablets today?

Yes. Apple still sells iPads in several sizes and price ranges. Samsung, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft all make Android or Windows tablets. The market is smaller than it was in 2012, but tablets are still manufactured and sold. They are popular with students, artists, and people who read a lot.