Photos of Early iPad Mockup Surface in Samsung Lawsuit Documents

Network World's iOnApple reports on a recently-unsealed deposition given by Apple design chief Jonathan Ive in the ongoing patent war between Apple and Samsung, a session in which Ive was shown photos of Apple's earliest iPad mockups that apparently date to some time between 2002 and 2004. From Ive's testimony:

My recollection of first seeing it is very hazy, but it was, I'm guessing, sometime between 2002 and 2004, some but it was I remember seeing this and perhaps models similar to this when we were first exploring tablet designs that ultimately became the iPad.

early ipad mockup 1
As the report notes, the mockup is quite similar to what was eventually released as the iPad well over five years later, although it was significantly thicker given the state of the technology at the time.

early ipad mockup 2
Notably, the mockup lacked a home button but in other respects from the general form factor to the presence of a dock connector certainly mirrors the final shipping product.

Additional photos are included in the original report.

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Top Rated Comments

arn Avatar
169 months ago
The guy standing with tablet resembles a pic from an old patent

https://www.macrumors.com/2008/05/23/tablet-mac-coming-in-fall-2008/
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kurosov Avatar
169 months ago
If it had a dock connector it's not from 2002. Dock didn't come out until 2003.

Because they just pulled the dock connector out of their arse on the day of release and magically attached it to devices?
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drewisanapple Avatar
169 months ago
If it had a dock connector it's not from 2002. Dock didn't come out until 2003.

They would have tested the dock connector way earlier than it's release.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drewisanapple Avatar
169 months ago
Suddenly my iPad feels a lot lighter.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
troop231 Avatar
169 months ago
That thing is THICK!

/In before that's what she said.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Schizoid Avatar
169 months ago
Wow, that is monster thick.

yeah but still COOLER than a Samsung!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)