Diffusion of the iPadStephanie Fuhs

Walden University

EDUC 7101-2

Need

• Make the computer

portable

• Eliminate the

keyboard

Research

• Apple has a strong research and

development program

• Investigated ways to eliminate the

keyboard

• Protoype was successful, but Jobs

postponed production because it would

work better as a mobile phone

Development

• Initially iPad was marketed to consumers

looking to move to tablet PCs

• Gradually built a following in education

markets

• 1st generation lacked printing and file

sharing abilities

Commercialization• Assembled by Foxconn in

China

• Components are developed

and manufactured by

multiple companies

• Only available through

Apple, eventually available

through other distributors

References• Apple (2011). Product images and info: iPad. Retrieved from 

http://www.apple.com/pr/products/ipad/ipad.html

• Apple. (2011). iPad2. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/ipad/

• Associated Press (2010, June 2). Jobs says iPad idea came before iPhone. Retrieved

from http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/06/02/jobs-says-ipad-idea-came-iphone/

• Saint, N. (2010, March 31). Where in the world is my iPad?. Retrieved from 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/03/31/businessinsider-where-in-

the-world-is-my-ipad-2010-3.DTL

• Time Magazine Business (2007, January 12). The apple of your ear. Retrieved from 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576854,00.html