Apple has not destroyed Steve Jobs' vision for iPad

Summary

There’s been a lot of discussion since iPadOS 26 was introduced in June about how Apple has finally moved the iPad away from Steve Jobs’ original vision, transforming it from a simple content consumption device into something more computer-like. Some celebrate this evolution, falsely pointing to features like windowed apps and sophisticated multitasking as some sort of weak proof that Apple has successfully abandoned the constraints Jobs imposed. Even wrongly proclaiming that the company swore it would never evolve their tablet experience. All of this completely misses something fundamental about what Jobs actually wanted to achieve with this device. When Jobs introduced the iPad in 2010, he wasn’t trying to freeze technology in amber. He was solving a specific problem that existed at that moment: people needed something between their phone and their laptop that could handle everyday tasks more comfortably without the complexity of desktop computing. The iPad delivered on that promise beautifully, but the world didn’t stop evolving. The most misunderstood quote in Apple history might be Jobs saying “If you see a stylus, they blew it.” People love to throw this around whenever the Apple Pencil comes up, as if it proves some grand betrayal of his vision. But context matters enormously here. He wasn’t even talking about tablets, but rather critiquing the Palm Pilots and Windows Mobile devices of the era that were impossible to use with just your fingers. The Apple Pencil represents exactly the opposite philosophy. The iPad works perfectly without it for everything Jobs originally envisioned: reading, browsing, watching videos, checking email. But when you want to sketch an idea, mark up a document, or create digital art, having the option of precise input transforms what’s possible. Jobs would have appreciated this distinction because it maintains the core accessibility while expanding creative potential. Think about how Jobs approached other products. The iPhone start...