April 24, 2024 – Apple has officially announced that it will be holding a special event titled “Let It Fly” on May 7th. The event is expected to unveil the new 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air models.
According to rumors, Apple will also disclose details about iPadOS 18, including the addition of a native calculator function. This marks a significant development in the iPad’s history, as the device has lacked a preinstalled calculator app since its inception 14 years ago.
The iPad, which debuted in 2010, has long been criticized for not including a basic calculator application. Users have had to rely on third-party calculator apps from the App Store to perform basic mathematical calculations.
Interestingly, the decision to exclude a calculator app from the iPad can be traced back to Steve Jobs’ dissatisfaction with the initial design. Prior to the release of the first iPad, a calculator app had been included, which was essentially a scaled-up version of the iPhone’s calculator app. However, Jobs, known for his obsessive attention to detail, rejected the design, stating that it looked terrible.
Due to time constraints, a new design could not be implemented, leading Jobs to make the decision to remove the calculator app altogether. Since then, despite the internal team never finding the time to create a “perfect” calculator app, the feature has remained absent from the iPad.
In an interview, Apple’s software head Craig Federighi hinted that the company prefers to take its time and ensure that when a feature is introduced, it is done so in a way that sets it apart from the competition. The upcoming iPadOS 18 update with the native calculator function appears to be a testament to this philosophy.
