Apple Ipad: History of the Tablet Computers and Their Connection to Asia Essay

Introduction

This paper aims to explore the history of Apple iPad and its connection to Asia and the globe. It will also provide the main characteristics and uses of the product. Furthermore, the paper will explain how and where Apple iPad is produced.

History

iPad is a generic name for a line of tablet computers produced by Apple Inc. The first iPad was introduced by Steve Jobs on January 27, 2010, in his keynote speech at an Apple press conference.¹ The release of the tablet became a milestone in the company’s history, making iPad “the most important product “ of Jobs’ life.² After testing the product for only one week, a contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Walt Mossberg, admitted that it had “the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop.”³ Now, the company produces iPad mini and iPad Pro that garners millions in sales worldwide..⁴

Characteristics

The first generation of iPad tablets was equipped with a 9.7-inch screen, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR, and GPS.⁵ It was powered by an A4 processor developed by Apple Inc. and had 256MB of RAM.⁶ Storage options for the first generation of the device were limited to 16, 32, and 64GB..⁷ Probably, the most impressive feature of the product was its 10 hours of battery life.⁸ iPads were used for web-browsing that provided its owners with the availability of the web at their fingertips without the need to resort to bulky devices such as PCs and laptops. The users of the first generation of iPad were also able to read books, listen to music, and play games on their tablets.

Manufacturing

Even though each Apple’s device has a sticker informing consumers that a product has been manufactured in China, frequently the parts for it come from Asian countries such as Taiwan.⁹ Therefore, the materials and components for iPads were produced in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan among other countries, and assembled in Chinese factories. The reason for placing manufacturing facilities in Asia has to do with the fact that the region is known for the low cost of the manufacturing process, which makes the production of even flagship products comparatively cheap. Even though there was a need to maintain a complicated supply chain, Apple Inc. still managed to sell iPads at a lower price than similar domestically-produced products..¹⁰

Relationship to Asia and the World

A global business model of Apple Inc. has led the company to the extremely lucrative cooperation with a leader in the production and assembly of electronic products—Foxconn.¹¹ By contracting the company to outsource the production of iPads, Apple Inc. has become a part of an enormous client base of Foxconn, which has more than 200 subsidiaries in Asia and around the globe..¹² It should be mentioned that the majority of manufacturing facilities that produced Apple tablets were located in China.

Conclusion

The analysis of the commodity shows that it is an extremely popular product that has become a milestone in Apple’s history, thereby significantly increasing its popularity and financial success. Even though the iPad is an American product, it was manufactured in Asian countries, with the majority of production facilities located in China. The materials and components for iPad were produced in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan among other countries, and assembled in Chinese factories.

Bibliography

Apple History. ”iPad.” Web.

Business Insider. “Apple’s Newest iPad is the Least Expensive to Manufacture.” Web.

Everymac. “Apple iPad Wi-Fi (Original/1^st Gen) 16, 32, 64 GB Specs.” 2017. Web.

IMore. “Happy 7^th Anniversary iPad.” 2017. Web.

Macworld. “Where are Apple Products Made: A Comprehensive Breakdown of Apple’s Product Supply Chain.” 2017. Web.

Pijl, Kees. Handbook of the International Political Economy of Production. New York: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2015.

Footnotes

1. “iPad,” Apple History, Web.
2. “Happy 7^th Anniversary iPad,” IMore, Web.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. “Apple iPad Wi-Fi (Original/1^st Gen) 16, 32, 64 GB Specs,” Everymac, Web.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. “Apple iPad.”
9. “Where are Apple Products Made: A Comprehensive Breakdown of Apple’s Product Supply Chain,” Macworld, Web.
10. “Apple’s Newest iPad is the Least Expensive to Manufacture,” Business Insider, Web.
11. Kees Pijl, Handbook of the International Political Economy of Production (New York: Edward Elgar Publishing), 80-91.
12. Ibid.