...(on the Conventions page) it says ". . . we came from a jazz perspective initially so we saw the app as being something you might have to use on a gig (perhaps without a rehearsal) so clarity and consistency were important to us." ... maybe they just mean they envisioned musicians just using the chart at gigs, not gigging with the playback....
iReal book and subsequently, iReal b initially did not have a built-in player. I suspect the app was initially designed as an electronic (and transposing!) version Pocket Changes, a small format, spiral-bound, chords-only fake-booklet popular with bassists.
Still available:
http://www.jazzbooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=JAJAZZ&Product_Code=PC#.UrNas_F5mK0
http://tromboneforum.org/index.php?...igglacholj1l7&topic=55905.msg798994#msg798994
The player feature was added later and (I believe) was intended for practice use.
I think the first mention of performance use of the player wasn't until April, 2010
https://forums.irealpro.com/threads/Wow-this-might-be-valid-for-live&p=3464.1011/#post-3464
Last edited: