The last line "Sent from my iPad" was quite fitting as a device that he conceptualized :-)
sent from a derivative of alan kay prototype
The iPhone was just a happy accident, something they decided to do with the cool tech they were playing with when working on the iPad, before it was ready.
The IPad was described as a glass keyboard when it was still a secret. It was inspired by an argument with a Microsoft employee who argued apple should license the windows tablet OS and make tablets.
The whole company was more focused on making a phone however. And three secret internal movements converged into what is the IPhone today. Best thing is it was kept secret from Steve Jobs. But once he saw it, he shelved the iPad and worked on the iPhone.
The iPhone's predecessor was the Motorola iTunes phone. Which was a combo of the ipod and phone.
A bit of compiled history.
Edit: iPad was a development concept because he believed tablets should not have a stylus. And got angry at Microsoft employee for suggesting it should.
Its powerful because (a) he probably didn't explicitly add it, and (b) it references his impact on the world and (c) the iPad is obviously important but no where near as important as mathematics or medicine, and its not included on the list, just a helpful nod to its ability to help him reflect on this list.
> I speak a language I did not invent or refine.
> I did not discover the mathematics I use.
> I did not invent the transistor, the microprocessor, object oriented programming, or most of the technology I work with.
> I love and admire my species, living and dead, and am totally dependent on them for my life and well being.
No mention of it at all.