Apple Originally Planned A Dual Docking System For The Original IPad

Many of us know Apple’s iPad in its current iteration, but clearly this is not the original design that Apple had chosen. Over the years, Apple, like most companies, has gone through various testing, designing, and prototyping stages to find out what works best, so it’s always interesting to see what could have been.

According to a recent tweet by Giulio Zompetti, they have shared photos of what is allegedly one of the prototypes of the original iPad. What’s interesting about the design is that it features squared off sides, a design that is actually used in today’s iPad Pro and to a certain extent, kind of looks like the MacBook Air/MacBook Pro.

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iPad, first generation prototype.
Initially, Apple was planning to feature a dual dock system on its first tablet.
The secondary port was situated on the left side of the device.
Concurrent charging was apparently supported.
This feature was removed in a later DVT stage. pic.twitter.com/7yJHsXPoYL

— Giulio Zompetti (@1nsane_dev) March 27, 2021

However, what’s interesting is how Apple had apparently initially envisioned how the iPad could feature dual ports – one on the bottom and one on the side. The idea is that this would allow the iPad to dock in multiple orientations, portrait and landscape, while keeping itself charged or connected to various accessories.

Since this is the original iPad, the ports used are the old 30-pin connector. We have to say that two gaping holes along the body of the iPad is not a very pretty look and could have been one of the reasons behind its removal.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Tablets
Tags: iPad