Apple CEO Steve Jobs today unveiled the iPad calling tablet computer at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. iPad is a multimedia, Internet-enabled slate that could fuel the next leg of growth at the consumer-electronics giant.
Prices for the iPad start at $499 and rise as high as $829, depending on features and service, the iPad will be available within 60 days.
The half-inch thick, 1.5-pound device will feature a 9.7-inch multitouch screen, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities and is powered by a custom Apple microchip, called the A4. The iPad will have the same operating system as the iPhone and access to its 140,000 applications.
It also builds on Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch. The iPad runs applications built for the iPhone, and Apple announced it is releasing a software developer kit, or SDK, so coders can tailor their applications to the new device’s capabilities.
The 16GB model starts at $499, with the 32GB iPad available for $599 and the 64GB configuration costing $699. Those models will include Wi-Fi connectivity; Apple will also offer 3G-equipped iPads for $130 more.
The device will be supported by service from AT&T Inc., which will charge $29.99 a month for unlimited data but won’t require a contract.
The announcement puts Apple on a collision course with Amazon. Mr. Jobs credited Amazon with pioneering the category with the Kindle, but said “we are going to stand on their shoulders and go a little bit farther.”