The end of an era: a nostalgic look back at the iPod and its legacy

The first-generation iPod was originally announced by none other than Steve Jobs. The device came with up to 10 GB of internal storage, a rather hefty price-tag of 399$ and the iconic scroll wheel that gave the iPod its signature look.

The iPod sparked a revolution in the consumer market. At the time, most portable media players were chunky, with less than appealing user interfaces and, frankly speaking, plain ugly.

The iPod changed that and brought portable media players into the mainstream. Soon enough, the iPod became a cultural phenomenon, a fashion accessory and an indispensable utility for music enthusiasts everywhere.

It should be noted that Apple did not create a revolutionary product per se (media players had been around since the 90s). Rather, Apple did what it does best - it took an existing concept, refined it extensively and simply made it work for everyone.

The original iPod was neither the most functional, nor the most revolutionary device of its class on the market. But it was the one that users were drawn to the most.

That is to say, that the original iPad was far from flawless. At the time of its launch, the iPod was compatible only with Apple’s Macs and it took another two years before iTunes came into being. In the eyes of many, the iPod was the device that first gave birth to the Apple ecosystem, as we know it today.

In 2022, It is hard to imagine a world in which Apple was not the tech giant it is today. But, at the time, Apple was still finding its own path and the iPod was the device that introduced a generation of Apple users to the company and what it stands for. The financial success that the gadget reaped was also instrumental in allowing Apple to grow and expand.

The Successors of the Original iPod

For the first couple of generations, Apple built up the successful formula. Each new iPod brought more and more functionality and eliminated the drawbacks of the original.

The second-generation iPod introduced support for Windows and made the wheel touch sensitive. The third generation saw the iPod receive a new design, the Dock Connector port (which became the standard) and marked the launch of iTunes.

With the fourth generation of the iPod was a little more diverse: it had a number of versions and a couple of special editions (including a Harry Potter one). Most notably, this generation introduced the color screen, which gave the iPod the ability to display photos. In its fifth generation, the iPod could also play videos (hence why it was dubbed the iPod Video).

Of course, we are only covering the major advancements. Needless to say that consecutive generations of iPods invariably received improvements in battery life, storage capacity and format compatibility.

The iPod, over these first 5 generations, grew to become the most advanced media player and completely stomped its competitors in terms of market share. The sixth generation was when the formula reached its peak. This was the final iPod in the original line.

The iPod Classic (as it was called at the time) has a particularly precious place in my heart as it was my first Apple product. I can testify to the superb battery life, build quality and overall longevity of the iPod Classic. I used it for well over 10 years and still keep it as a precious heirloom.

The Other iPod Models

While for me (and I presume many others), the original iPod is the one true icon, Apple did try to branch out and create alternatives. The iPod Mini, the iPod Shuffle and the iPod Nano were all impressive devices in their own right.

The Mini, and its successor, the Nano, maximized portability, while the Shuffle was an affordable option that worked exclusively as an MP3 player. They each occupied a different niche, but were, fundamentally, twists on the original iPod.

The iPod Touch is when things start to become strange. This iPod was launched in 2007, the year in which the iPhone made its debut. While iPods dabbled with phone features even before the Touch (like incorporating a camera), the latter ventured closer and closer to what would subsequently become smartphone territory.

The iPod Touch used Apple’s iOS, it had the same 3.5-inch touchscreen display as the first iPhone and it was very much not just a media player. The iPod Touch had access to the App Store, could browse the web, serve as a portable gaming device, and do much more than previous iPods.

The iPod Touch, because of its iPhone-esque features, stood the test of time far longer and was the last to die out. The iPod Classic was discontinued in 2014, the Shuffle - in 2017, while the Nano - in 2020. It was only a matter of time before the iPod Touch faced a similar fate.