iPads through the years (pictures)

On April 3, 2010, then Apple CEO Steve Jobs took the stage at a special company event in San Francisco and introduced the iPad, the tablet computer that would launch a new category of devices.

Five years later, the market is flooded with tablets of varying sizes from rival companies, as well as many, many versions of the iPad from Apple. Click through this gallery to take a look at the evolution of the iPad over the years.

The original iPad had many of the features of the iPhone and came with 256MB of RAM, and a 1024x768 display. As for memory, there were 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions.

CNET Reviews said at the time that "the Apple iPad is the first affordable tablet computer worth owning, but it won't (yet) replace your laptop."

With the launch of the second generation of the iPad, the tablet became dramatically thinner and boasted both front and rear cameras, FaceTime video chat, a faster processor and 3G options for both AT&T and Verizon.

Apple's third iPad included a stunning new "Retina" display, matched by a quad-core graphic processor and the world's largest app and media store to feed it content. The device also added a proper 5-megapixel rear camera, with 1,080-pixel recording quality.

Then came the iPad Mini, an ultrathin and -light design with a more intimate and booklike size than the larger iPad. The cameras, storage capacities and optional LTE antenna were comparable to what was found on the larger size iPad. And the screen's dimensions allowed it to elegantly display larger-format magazines and apps.

With a faster A6X processor and graphics power, the fourth-gen iPad was otherwise identical to its recent predecessor -- same size, weight and Retina screen. It was heavy to hold in one hand, and most older accessories wouldn't work without a pricey Lightning adapter.

The iPad Mini 2 with Retina display added an excellent high-resolution screen and a far faster A7 processor. It topped things off with improved Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity and battery life that was as good as, or better than, that of the original iPad Mini.

The iPad Air delivered upgraded performance while managing to keep battery life comparable to that of the standard iPad. It was also 20 percent thinner and 40 percent lighter.

An improved front-facing camera made FaceTiming look better, and the Retina Display still looked great.

The iPad Mini 3 was a little light on the upgrades. But both the display and battery life were excellent, according to CNET Reviews, and the device added Touch ID.

In 2014, the iPad Air 2 got an improved A8X processor, better rear and front-facing cameras, an even thinner and lighter design, an antireflective screen, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor and more built-in storage at higher configurations than the previous version.