Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the iPad in January of 2010, but April 3rd was the first day normal people could get their hands on a device that represented Apple’s vision for the future of computing. That sounds like a seriously high-minded goal for a device that many derisively referred to as a “giant iPod touch” when it was announced, but Jobs pulled no punches in that first presentation. He called the iPad “our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device,” and ever since Apple has referred to the device with reverence — even if it hasn’t quite been the revolution Jobs predicted.

In some ways, it’s impressive how consistent Apple’s vision for the iPad has been since it arrived nine years ago. If you went back in time to 2010 and handed someone who just walked out of a store with a brand-new iPad (like the just-released iPad Air), they’d immediately understand the device. At its most basic, it’s still an all-screen device that’s of a similar size and weight that adapts its interface to whatever app you happen to be using.

Of course, the iPad has also undergone significant changes since 2010. And that’s a good thing because the original iPad was a classic first-generation Apple product: compelling, but flawed. For one thing, it was rather underpowered. The single-core A4 chip was paired with only 256MB of RAM, specs that meant that iOS 5 (released in late 2011) was the last software update it received. In a world where most iPhones and future iPads received software updates for years, this was a real shame for early adopters.

The hardware design, while exuding typical Apple polish, was also significantly improved upon just one year later with the iPad 2. The original iPad weighed in at over 1.5 pounds, making it a bit heavy to hold for longer sessions. The iPad 2 cut the weight and thickness noticeably while adding Apple’s handy smart cover to keep the screen clean. It also had a dual-core A5 chip and double the RAM, enough power that Apple kept the iPad 2 on sale for three years and kept giving it software updates until 2016. The company even added cameras, making the iPad the obvious video-chatting tool was meant to be.