ThinkPad were introduced in 2011. ThinkPad ThinkPad is a line of laptop computers and tablets designed, developed, and sold by Lenovo, and formerly IBM. ThinkPads are known for their minimalist, black, and boxy design which was initially modeled in 1990 by industrial designer Richard Sapper, based on the concept of a traditional Japanese "Bento" lunchbox revealing its nature only after being opened. According to later interviews with Sapper, he also characterized the simple ThinkPad form to be as elementary as a simple, black cigar box, and with similar proportions that offers a 'surprise' when opened. The line was first developed at
Lenovo were driven by the popularity of Apple's iPhone and Lenovo's desire to increase its market share in mainland China. Lenovo passed Apple to become the No. 2 provider of smartphones to the Chinese market in 2012. However, due to there being about 100 smartphone brands sold in China, this second only equated to a 10.4% market share. In May 2012, Lenovo announced an investment of US$793 million in the construction of a mobile phone manufacturing and R&D facility in Wuhan, China. On January 27, 2011, Lenovo formed a joint venture to produce personal computers with Japanese electronics firm NEC. The