Today in Apple history: iPad surpasses 100,000 exclusive apps

By

iPad
The iPad got developers excited from day one!
Photo: Apple

June 30: Today in Apple history: iPad surpasses 100,000 exclusive apps June 30, 2011: A little more than a year after the iPad goes on sale, the number of iPad-exclusive apps in the App Store passes 100,000.

The milestone caps a brilliant first year for Apple’s long-awaited tablet. And the amazing breadth of iPad-only apps proves the device is much more than just a bigger iPhone.

Full speed ahead on iPad apps!

By the time the iPad launched, Apple had learned its lesson about the importance of apps. With the iPhone, Steve Jobs initially protested against third-party apps. Only after considerable campaigning from Apple VP Phil Schiller and board member Art Levinson did Jobs agree to make the iPhone a generative platform instead of a locked-down one.

Apple eventually announced the launch of an iPhone SDK on March 6, 2008, about nine months after the iPhone’s big reveal. The company began accepting iPhone app submissions a few months after that. When the App Store went live in July 2008, Apple reported a massive 10 million downloads in its first 72 hours.

The upshot? When the iPad arrived in 2010, Apple was totally on board from the very start. The number of apps developed specifically for the iPad passed 75,000 in March 2011. By June, Apple hit the six-figure mark. App developers who missed out on the initial iPhone app gold rush wanted to be sure to capitalize on the iPad’s arrival.

Today, Apple continues to push the iPad as a platform for pro-oriented apps. At present, the App Store houses more than 725,000 apps designed specifically for the iPad. In addition, the tablet can run almost any app in the App Store — making it the most versatile iOS device out there.

What was the first app you remember downloading for iPad? Leave your comments below.

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.