The Curious Case of the Missing iPad Calculator App

Since the launch of the iPad, users have been puzzled by the absence of a native calculator app, a staple on nearly every other Apple device. This glaring omission has led to a plethora of third-party solutions, but none that seamlessly integrate with the iOS experience as an Apple-developed app would.

The origin of this gap in the iPad’s app suite dates back to the device’s inception. The initial plan was to include a calculator app, which was essentially a larger version of the iPhone’s calculator. However, Apple’s late co-founder, Steve Jobs, was dissatisfied with this simplistic scaling up and demanded a version that was either distinctively innovative or none at all. The developers, constrained by tight deadlines, opted to omit the calculator entirely rather than rush a subpar version​ (SlashGear)​​ (Ubergizmo)​.

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