It's looking like the iPad was prototyped out as a full-screen touchscreen ~4 years before the iPhone ever came out. http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog

It's looking like the iPad was prototyped out as a full-screen touchscreen ~4 years before the iPhone ever came out. http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/earliest-known-photos-apple-ipad-prototype?page=0%2C1 http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/earliest-known-ph... So it is slightly possible that both companies came to the same conclusion independently. It has happened before.