 Apple ’ s first tablet computer was the Newton MessagePad 100 , introduced in 1993 , which led to the creation of the ARM6 processor core with Acorn Computers . Apple also developed a prototype PowerBook Duo @-@ based tablet , the PenLite , but decided not to sell it in order to avoid hurting MessagePad sales . Apple released several more Newton @-@ based PDAs ; the final one , the MessagePad 2100 , was discontinued in 1998 . 
