There was something Steve Jobs was clear about with the iPad: it should only come in one size, and that the size had to be perfect to sit on your coffee table. Some of us remember the time when Steve Jobs introduced the iPad to the world. Oh, what time was it? We were very excited about the presentation of the first iPhone, and just two years later it surprised us with a device that did not exist until now. What would good old Steve say today? If you had seen the variety of sizes that Apple offers in its iPad range
The original vision: one iPad to rule them all
More than a decade ago, in a revealing conversation with Marc Benioff, current CEO of Salesforce, Jobs made his position on the iPad clear. “I’ve been working on the iPhone since 2007. Now I’m going to show you my new iPad“, Jobs said, showing two prototypes of different sizes. Yes, you read that right, two sizes.
I will only have it in one size. This 10 inch. I’m not going to make the other one, a small size. All products must fit on my coffee table.
Wow, I made that clear! Steve Jobs was convinced that one size was enough to conquer the tablet market. After all, it was something they had just invented and had no competition. The original iPad was a smash success and laid the foundation for what we now call the so-called “post-PC era.”
The Steve Jobs “coffee table” anecdote is often misunderstood. Jobs wasn’t looking for the biggest iPad possible, but just the right size. I wanted it to be big enough to be useful. Unlike the iPhone, Steve believed that a smaller iPad would limit functionality and ease of use.
In the notion of “coffee table” did not literally mean that it took up the entire table. Instead, I was looking for a size that would be comfortable to use while sitting on a couch or chair, with the device resting on your lap or on a nearby coffee table.
Steve has always been very reluctant to change the size of screens and especially to expand the product range. Not just with the iPad, with the iPhone it was very clear. Four generations of iPhone have passed until we saw how the iPhone 5 screen enlarged…at the top! It continued to maintain the same width as the original iPhone.
It was already after the arrival of Tim Cook and the greater responsibility of Jonathan Ive when The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were first created. And even though they say that Steve Jobs left a plan for the coming years, it’s hard to believe that he would not only envision the growth of the iPhone 6, but also the doubling of the reach of the iPhone 6 More.
Apple now offers four different iPad sizes
And at the gates of 2025… what do we have? Apple, the same company that once pledged allegiance to a single iPad size, now delights us with nothing more and nothing less than four different sizes. From the compact iPad mini to the imposing iPad Pro, including the balanced iPad Air and the classic iPad.
This year, AApple has practically updated the entire iPad range. Would Steve be proud of her? In a few months we went further and renewed our range with:
- An 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro with OLED screen and M4 chip.
- For the first time in history, two models of iPad Air, also 11 and 13 inches.
- A new 8.3-inch iPad mini with A17 Pro chip.
- The entry-level iPad is still maintained with its 10.9 inches.
Betrayal or necessary evolution?
It’s easy to imagine Jobs disapproving of so many types of iPads, iPhones, Macs… After all, he was known for its simplicity and consistency. But he was also a visionary who understood the importance of adapting to market demands.
Perhaps even the great Steve Jobs would have come to recognize that different users have different needs. Some want an iPad that fits in their jacket pocket, while others prefer an iPad that can replace their laptop. They may not all fit on Steve Jobs’ coffee tablebut there is surely one perfect for yours.
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