Pen-style tablets, such as those made by Wacom, have an interesting history rooted in both technological advancements and artistic needs.
The first graphic tablet that resembles the ones we see today is the Stylator (1957) which had handwriting recognition and inputted directly into a computer without a receiver. Even though it had many applications, like being able to connect to phones and teletypewriters, it was limited since you couldn’t draw freehand.
In the 1960s, RAND Corporation created the "RAND Tablet," one of the first devices capable of digitizing drawings made with a stylus. It allowed the user to use their natural handwriting because of the pressure sensitive stylus. These early innovations were primarily used for engineering and military applications.
https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102710343
Pen style tablets became widely available in the 80s due to the rise of personal computing and advancements in technology. Wacom was founded by a Japanese company and introduced tablets that allowed artists to draw directly into computers. Not only that, the stylus was wireless and used electromagnetic resonance technology, meaning it was precise and didn’t require batteries. Today, it remains one of the most popular graphic tablets.
About a decade later, Wacom introduced the Intuos line, which was highly popular for both professionals and hobbyists. In 2001, they launched the Cintiq, combining a pressure-sensitive tablet with an LCD display (using liquid crystals to create images), allowing users to draw directly on the screen—revolutionizing digital art.
https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/20010917/wacom.htm
Of course, there have been more tablets made between these, but the item that really made tablets mainstream was Apple’s iPad in 2010. It was portable and touchscreen, becoming the most popular tablet on the market. iPads gave rise to hybrid devices, which combined laptops and tablets for more functionality and efficiency.
Graphic tablets have greatly evolved from the past, but some of the best tablets today are by the brands that we’ve talked about today. Wacom remains a leader in pen tablets, and the technology has expanded to touch-sensitive and multi-functional devices used across various industries, from animation and illustration to 3D modeling and engineering.