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Apple iPad. Photo by Apple Inc.So it happened. On 27 January 2010 Steve Jobs officially introduced Apple's greatly debated tablet device called no different than the iPad. Since the presentation, the world IT media have gone to extremes. The initial reactions have been ranging from sanctification through appraisal to harsh backlash against design characteristics and highlighted features. However, what is astounding this time is the fact that most of the commentators have apparently missed the foundations for iPad's inception. That is why I decided to review them in this edition of the column. This is the first installment in a two-part series.

Firstly, let's pose the following question: how many of us use an iPod? Presumably, the overwhelming majority will affirm the common-sense assumption that many do. It's not a mere preconception whatsoever. During the iPad Keynote Steve Jobs actually confirmed that Apple sold 250,000,000th iPod this year. That piece of information was backed by 55-percent increase in sales of iPod touch, a controversial member of the iPod family, announced during Q1 2010 earnings conference, just two days prior to the iPad event. What most of the analysts found perplexing was Apple being able to retain the latter figure, despite the actual decrease of music player sales by $21 million, compared to similar period of 2009. To conclude that fact, iPod touch has finally found its appeal during Christmas holiday season, presumably because Santa Claus had decided to endorse it. You never know.

Secondly, how do we experience an iPod? Unsurprisingly, iPod is best served with iTunes, the default interface to the world of musical and video contents and both are made by Apple. Naturally, there are other alternatives, but if anyone's seeking seamless integration and media organization, it is the way to go. The iTunes embodies a symbol of unified digital media experience, on the one hand providing end users with easily accessible audio and visual contents, on the other hand securing additional revenue stream for content providers by means of the applied content delivery system. Generally speaking, the latter quality is the defining point for iTunes widespread adoption among content providers as most of their businesses have flourished since their initial offerings for the iTunes Music and Movie Stores.

iPod and iTunes have played integral roles in Apple's entertainment ecosystem from its beginnings. Paired with iLife software, a non-savvy end user was initially awarded with the necessary tools for connecting oneself to Apple's concept of digital entertainment. Over recent six years, the strategy proved to be quite effective. With the ability to access either collection of digital photos, listen to podcasts or legally download music and movies, a typical user remains comfortable with that approach. However, with the massive development of the Web and entertainment services (namely, social web apps), it would have become obsolete. The competitive lead that Apple gained around 2006 was to gradually deplete, had it remained unaltered.

Fortunately, Apple's goal has never revolved around the status quo. The original concept of digital entertainment has evolved into a more intricate model of infotainment based on the concept of online socializing. That was a new role that could only be filled in by a completely new or reinvented category of a product. A product that would fit in the intricate fabric of end users' social patterns and behaviors. In mid 2007 the iPhone was born. 

The introduction of iPhone proposed a whole new experience to casual technology users, even to those not necessarily being of Apple enthusiasts. The mobile phone became a milestone in media integration and consumption for an average Joe. Using the original iTunes platform, the technologies combined in iPhone triggered a major change in how we approached terms like web browsing, interoperability, rich internet applications, accessibility and mobility. The iPhone offered superior user experience matched with revolutionary user interface that were soon to become a model solution for the smartphone industry. And remains as such today.

The iPhone phenomenon has been by no means limited to the fancy UI. It was the business model that, once again, proved to be effective. This time the exclusive club of content providers was extended over the application developers. If I recall correctly, that was actually the very first time that group was included as a part of the deal right from the start. Needless to say, that decision has been immensely effective. As we speak, there are over 140,000 apps available for either iPhone or iPod touch, with just a click and couple of bucks away. With the iPhone, iPod and iTunes in place, Apple's infotainment system has matured, become pervasive, but above all it has been perfected to the degree that it could become easily expanded with new kinds of technologies for the purpose of the business model expansion.

In the context presented herein, we may now take a closer look at the iPad. Basically, an iPad is a new suite of technologies that are on the one hand fun to use, but on the other they provide advanced media integration forms and tools. This time around, it's about e-books and providing unlimited and instantaneous availability of contents in all popular media formats. With the device in hand, we are being offered a tool integrating books, videos, photos, providing relationship management (i.e. e-mail, RSS, social web apps), full-featured video games and newspapers, all being neatly packed into a 10-inch screen with (extremely) polished iPhone-based user interface. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the iPad is about infotainment more than any other device presented so far.

Lastly, iPad it's not just a tablet. What's different with the iPad is the exceptional requirements it is expected to surpass. During the iPad Keynote, Steve Jobs thoroughly explained why Apple chose to develop a new type of tablet device that would not only handle all the infotainment-related tasks, but would also provide user experience far better than the alternatives such as netbooks have to offer. On the one hand, iPad is poised to revolutionize the infotainment experience within the framework of iTunes-driven ecosystem, on the other it is to give the ultimate mobile experience being immensely simple and pleasant to use. In order to achieve that, Apple made several design several and engineering decisions that required bold decision making and novel approach in applying new technologies.

In the next part I will investigate the technical particulars of iPad design and its current constraints (no Flash support, the form factor, screen, etc.) and how they won't hinder iPad popularization.