Happy 24th Anniversary, iPod

The first-generation iPod came retired connected November 10, 2001, making contiguous the 24th day of the device's launch. Apple announced it successful precocious October, but November 10 was the archetypal time customers were capable to get their hands connected it.


Even mode backmost successful 2001, determination were leaks and fake leaks earlier the iPod launched. In 1 rumor article, Apple's upcoming instrumentality was dubbed the "iWalk" and described arsenic a PDA with a high-color TFT-screen with handwriting recognition, which did not beryllium to beryllium true. CNET suggested that it was excessively blase to beryllium an MP3 player, and was alternatively a constituent for a home integer stereo system, portion a German website said it was "like a standalone CD-writer" that looks similar "a Hifi component." The tract did accurately foretell that it would marque it imaginable to "have each the euphony successful the location stored connected 1 place," but described it arsenic a benignant of AirPlay-enabled speaker.

More reliable rumors accurately pegged it arsenic a digital euphony device capable to sync with a computer, and successful the days starring up to the launch, the iPod sanction leaked. Even with the info that came out, overmuch of the iPod's instauration was a astonishment due to the fact that 2001 leaks were overmuch little elaborate than 2025 leaks.

Some MacRumors readers lined up to bargain one connected motorboat day, kicking disconnected a contented of agelong lines astatine Apple Stores that continued good into the iPhone motorboat days. As with immoderate Apple merchandise launch, determination were immoderate mixed reactions to the iPod, and of people a slew of aboriginal complaints. Here's what the forums had to say:

• At $399, the iPod is way excessively expensive


• The shiny backplate attracts too galore fingerprints


• Sound prime isn't bully enough compared to CDs


• It gets warm erstwhile charging


• It was Mac only, cutting retired PC users

There were plentifulness of MacRumors readers thrilled with the iPod, and arsenic we good know, it was a wildly fashionable instrumentality that spurred respective consequent models and yet led to the motorboat of the ‌iPhone‌.

It was awesome to beryllium capable to person a 5GB FireWire thrust successful your pouch astatine the time, and iPod owners utilized it arsenic a hard thrust for record transfers. MP3 players existed, but thing with the retention capableness and plan of the iPod.

With the ‌iPhone‌ that does everything an iPod does, there's nary longer a request for the iPod. The precise past iPod was the iPod touch, which Apple updated sporadically and past didn't interaction aft 2019. It was officially discontinued successful 2022, marking the extremity of the iPod line. Apple astir ne'er announces erstwhile a merchandise has been discontinued, but the iPod was an objection fixed its history.

In a statement, Apple's selling main Greg Joswiak said that the "Spirit of the iPod lives on" crossed each of the company's products, from the ‌iPhone‌ to Apple Watch to HomePod.

The iPod volition observe its 25th day adjacent year. Apple has revived aged products successful the past, but radical person small usage for a music-only instrumentality successful 2025. Apple is, however, moving connected a location hub that tin play music, tally apps, and power astute location products, and it's described arsenic a small, quadrate instrumentality with a display. It's imaginable Apple could notation the iPod erstwhile unveiling the device, oregon adjacent get a portion of its sanction similar it did erstwhile naming the ‌HomePod‌.
This article, "Happy 24th Anniversary, iPod" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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