The iPod Turns 15: A Visual History

[Megalith]

Even if you hate the fruit company, you can’t deny that products like the iPod had a profound impact on their industries. Today is its 15th birthday of the “king of MP3 players,” and here is a rundown of all the models from the first-generation iPod to the latest iPod Touch.

Fifteen years ago today, on October 23rd, 2001, Steve Jobs stood up on stage and announced the original iPod. Since that day, the iPod has changed the way people buy and listen to music, sold millions of devices, and laid the foundation for the powerhouses that Apple has had with the iPhone and iPad. And while the classic iPod design was finally retired two years ago, and the remaining members of the iPod line are less important to Apple’s strategy today than they were years ago, it’s still an integral part of history, both for the company and the larger tech industry.

 

[pxc]

It's not like the iPod was the largest capacity player on release, or had more features or even had an innovative interface (it didn't have any of those things). What Apple did accomplish was to get multiple music companies to agree to sell music in digital format* for a somewhat reasonable price. And to give Apple more credit, it did have the power to push those same music companies into selling tracks without DRM. Credit where it's due, no credit where it's not due.

* mall rats from the 80s and 90s might remember Personics, which did something similar for custom cassette tapes. I might even have a tape around somewhere that I made back then. Just mentioning that because people always over-credit Apple for things where it clearly didn't invent the concept.

 

[blkt]

It's not like the iPod was the largest capacity player on release, or had more features or even had an innovative interface (it didn't have any of those things). What Apple did accomplish was to get multiple music companies to agree to sell music in digital format* for a somewhat reasonable price. And to give Apple more credit, it did have the power to push those same music companies into selling tracks without DRM. Credit where it's due, no credit where it's not due.

* mall rats from the 80s and 90s might remember Personics, which did something similar for custom cassette tapes. I might even have a tape around somewhere that I made back then. Just mentioning that because people always over-credit Apple for things where it clearly didn't invent the concept.

Spoiler

15 years. "I'm getting too old for this shit." -Roger Murtaugh

On a more serious note, I thought the overall streamlined design, interface, touch-sensitive click wheel, Wolfson DAC (4th and 5th generation Photo and Video) and lossless support were what made the iPod appealing. We live in a world where implementation, not innovation, is king and this combined with brand marketing will dominate people's recollection almost every time.

 

[Insula Gilliganis]

Retro Halloween costume!! 7 days left.. start working on it!!