An iPad in 1941? Old photo of boy holding what appears to be a gadget goes viral, sparks 'time travel' debate

The netizens on the social media platform Reddit have started a debate on the possibility of time travel after an old photograph from 1941 surfaced in which a child was seen holding what appeared to be an iPad.

The image was captured by Edwin Rosskam in Chicago’s South Side and in it is a group of well-dressed young people who appear to be queued outside a cinema.

But what captured the attention of the netizens is a teenager standing at the far right of the photo, holding a rectangular object that appears similar to a modern tablet or iPad.

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This observation has sparked speculation about whether the young man has time-travelled in the past and carried a futuristic device by mistake.

How Redditers are reacting to the viral vintage photo

The image was shared on “timetravelerscaught” community of Reddit where one user wrote, “iPad carrying moviegoer, all the way to the right.”

“If you zoom right in close, that is too big to be a ‘book’ or ‘notepad,’ plus you can see what looks like the iconic Apple logo on the back of it," wrote another user.

However, some argued that it appeared likely to be a notebook and not some futuristic device.

“Looks like a book to me," said a user.

“In the early days of film, ushers would check for pens and notepads to prevent bootleg copies of movies,” commented another user.

“If I could time travel, had an iPad, and was Black, why on earth would I go to the South Side of Chicago in 1941 to watch a matinee of ‘The Aldrich Family’? Everyone knows the only true Henry Aldrich was played by Jimmy Lydon, not Jackie Cooper," wrote a user.

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“They’re all dressed so nicely. Wearing your Sunday best to the movies must have been a fantastic treat," said a Redditer.

“It’s most likely The Holy Bible. They have their Sunday best on, bless their wee souls. Yes, I definitely think that’s what it is," wrote another user.

(With inputs from agencies)