On October 23 , 2001 , Steve Jobs announced that Apple was venturing into the field of medicine and unveiled the very first iPod in a little room . Although the chemical reaction from the gang was electropositive , there was a whole lot less fanfare than today ’s release events have .
“ Why music ? ” chore asked in his introduction . “ Well , we love euphony , and it ’s always good to do something you love . More importantly , euphony is a part of everyone ’s animation . Everyone ! Music ’s been around incessantly ; it will always be around . This is not a speculative marketplace . ”
Now , 21 years later on , Apple has announce that its pocket digital euphony and media actor has reach the end of its liveliness . Apple will continue to deal the iPod touch “ while supply last ” and when the last unit is gone , that ’ll be the last you ’ll ever hear of Apple ’s iconic gimmick . So in memoriam , let ’s take a look at the timeline of the iPod ’s colourful life .
The original iPod with the Click Wheel.
2001
October:“An iBook is really portable , ” Jobs bluster at the iPod unveiling , “ but this isultra - portable ! ” At 6.5 ounces , 2.4 inches wide , four inches marvelous , and made with scarcely over ¾-inch thick stainless steel , the first iPod ( $ 399 ) was designed to be the sizing of a deck of visiting card and bear 1,000 strain . Users pilot Sung dynasty with a mechanically skillful scroll wheel on a monochrome LCD display and had a 5 GB intemperate ride that filled up using a FireWire port .
IDG
2002
marching music : Apple release a 10 GB version of the iPod for $ 499 , twice as much storage for $ 100 more than the original 5 GB variant .
July : The second - generation iPod gain a solid - state Touch Wheel and check double the outer space . The product was expel in both 10 GB ( $ 399 ) and 20 GB ( $ 499 ) models .
2003
April : The iPod got a big third - generation makeover in 2003 , with the addition of four buttons that glowed red and a new connector , the 30 - pin dock connexion . sense the needs of obsessed euphony lover , the company insert a new 30 GB example ( $ 499 ) , along with 10 GB ( $ 299 ) and 15 GB ( $ 399 ) choices .
The third - coevals iPod .
September : The late third - generation iPod models jumped to 20 Gbit and 40 GB , replacing the 15 GB and 30 GB model , severally . Windows user got their first discernment of the iPod via MusicMatch Jukebox , opening up the iPod to a whole new audience .
The original iPod with the Click Wheel.
2004
Jan : A new version of the iPod called the iPod Mini ( $ 249 ) debut at Macworld San Francisco in gold , pink , downhearted and green models at the get-go of 2004 . Made of anodized aluminum and containing a Click Wheel that replaced the four auxiliary buttons , this midget 4 GB model is closer in size to a business card than a visiting card deck of cards and is only ½ inch thick .
Also in January , a 15 GB third - propagation iPod was offered for $ 299 , the same price as the previous 10 GB model .
July : The fourth - contemporaries iPod ( 20 GB for $ 299 and 40 GB for $ 399 ) was released with the same Click Wheel as the iPad miniskirt .
The third-generation iPod.
The iPod mini .
September : Apple drops 20 GB ( $ 299 ) and 40 GB ( $ 499 ) versions of the fourth - generation iPod stigmatise with the HP logo .
October : Bono and The Edge from Irish rock human activity U2 herald a 20 GB branded U2 Special Edition iPod ( $ 349 ) , a black model with a cherry steering wheel , black and white screen door and the banding ’s signatures optical maser - etched on the back . The Special Edition included a $ 50 discount on The Complete U2 digital corner bent .
The iPod mini.
The 40 GB ( $ 499 ) and 60 GB ( $ 599 ) color - silver screen iPod Photo models were also released in the dusk of 2004 . photo appear in 220 - by-176 - pixel resolution .
2005
January : The first - generation iPod Shuffle strike the dancefloor at the beginning of 2005 . The randomized music instrumentalist , a tiny silver wonder which weighs under one ounce and reckon like a pack of gum , was made available in 512 MB ( $ 99 ) and 1 GB ( $ 149 ) model .
February : The iPod Photo was released in a 30 GB theoretical account for $ 349 , while the iPod Mini got a second - coevals facelift with 4 GB ( $ 199 ) and 6 GB ( $ 249 ) adaptation in new colorways .
The iPod Shuffle .
The iPod Shuffle.
June : The iPod U2 Special Edition got a color - screen upgrade and a $ 20 price break in the summertime of 2005 , bringing the cost down to $ 329 . Apple also launch the revolutionary iTunes Music Store for easily purchase and transferring songs to the iPod .
September : Farewell , iPod Mini ; hello , iPod Nano ! The first - contemporaries Nano ( 2 GB for $ 199 and $ GB for $ 249 ) measures ⅙ inch by 3.5 inches , weighs 1.5 apothecaries' ounce and pack 14 60 minutes of battery animation .
October : iPod graduate to its fifth - generation release ( 30 GB for $ 299 and 60 GB for $ 399 ) , now with telecasting playback and a larger screen .
The U2 Special Edition iPod.
2006
February : iPod Nano becomes available in a 1 GB model ( $ 149 ) . In plus , the iPod Shuffles price discharge ( 512 Mbit for $ 69 and 1 GB for $ 99 ) . The $ 69 model becomes the lowest price iPod to be offered .
June : U2 fan get a new iPod U2 Special Edition 5th - propagation iPod , the third in the U2 series , for the same price of $ 329 .
The U2 Special Edition iPod .
The third-gen iPod nano.
September : The iPod 5th - generation and U2 Special Edition fashion model both see “ Enhanced ” variation with a new search affair . The iPod Nano moves into its 2d - multiplication with 2 GB ( $ 149 ) , 4 GB ( $ 199 ) and 8 GB ( $ 249 ) . The iPod Shuffle also upgrade to the second - generation model ( $ 79 ) , with 1 GB of memory board .
October : The second - multiplication iPod Nano becomes useable in ( Project ) Red .
2007
Jan : The iPod Shuffle ’s 2nd - generation arrives in pinkish , spicy , green , and orangish ( 1 GB for $ 49 and a new 2 GB poser for $ 69 ) with a small case and a built - in belt clip . The original silver medal colour is still uncommitted in this release cycle , too .
The third - gen iPod nano .
September : The original iPod , now in its 6th generation , is dubbed the iPod Classic ( 80 GB for $ 249 and 160 GB for $ 349 ) . The third - generation iPod Nano jumps in with a big display and equivalent resolution to the larger video iPod . And the first - generation iPod Touch get in ( 8 GB for $ 299 and 16 GB for $ 399 ) taking a page from the iPhone with a 3.5 - inch multi - touch exhibit , WWW browse , and messaging .
The iPod Classic.
2008
September : The iPod Classic adds a thin 120 GB version ( $ 249 ) to supervene upon the previous 80 GB and 160 GB model . Also in this capitulation wave : the fourth - generation iPod Nano and 2d - generation iPod Touch .
The iPod Classic .
2009
March : The iPod Shuffle ventures into third - propagation territory , with a new mostly buttonless invention that relied on VoiceOver technology to play music . It ’s available in 2 GB ( $ 59 ) and two 4 GB ( $ 79 - 99 ) selection . The pricier 4 GB model is made of all unsullied steel .
September : The iPod Shuffle ’s fourth - contemporaries append five colouring material and cost $ 59 for 2 GB and 4 GB for $ 79 , while the third - generation iteration of the iPod Touch arrives with minimum change ( 8 GB for $ 199 , 32 GB for $ 299 and 64 GB for $ 399 ) and the second - propagation iPod Touch ( 8 GB for $ 229 , 16 GB for $ 299 and 32 GB for $ 399 ) bring improved ironware .
2010
September : iPod Nano cycle into its sixth generation ( 8 GB for $ 149 and 16 GB for $ 179 ) with a intention that ’s reminiscent of the Apple Watch , while iPod Shuffle‘s fourth - propagation introduces yet another new designing . Also , the 4th - gen iPod touch gets FaceTime capableness .
The sixth - gen iPod nano .
2011
October : The fourth - generation iPod sense of touch was introduce in blanched and the same 8 GB , 32 GB , and 64 GB models as from the previous twelvemonth .
2012
October : The new fifth - multiplication iPod touch was the most coloured upgrade to date , with six hues that enclose around the sides and cover the back , while the iPod Nano reached its seventh generation with a more iOS - alike port . Both get down larger screens .
Meanwhile , the fourth - generation iPod Shuffle came back with young coloration options and the fifth - generation iPod touch was free in 32 GB and 64 GB models .
The iPod touch sensation .
The sixth-gen iPod nano.
2013
May : price at $ 229 , a silver budget version of the iPod Touch with 16 GB of storage and no buns - look iSight camera emerged in the spring of 2013 .
2014
May : The fifth - generation iPod touch grow to include 32 GB ( $ 299 ) and 64 GB ( $ 399 ) models in 2014 . The price of the 16 GB role model dropped to $ 199 .
2015
July : After two and a half years of 5th - coevals iPod cutaneous senses products , Apple release the sixth - generation iPod touch ( 16 GB for $ 199 , 32 GB for $ 249 , 64 GB for $ 299 , and 128 GB for $ 399 ) with an A8 processor and M8 coprocessor in the summer of 2015 .
The fifth - gen iPod mite .
The party also brought out new versions of the quaternary - generation iPod Shuffle in six people of color or else of the previous eight colors . Meanwhile , the latest 7th - generation iPod Nano spend from seven to six colors . Both , however , are still uncommitted in ( Product ) Red in this release cycle .
The iPod touch.
2019
May : Theseventh - multiplication iPod touchis Apple ’s most recent iPod outlet to date . The surprise refresh was the first in four years and came with an A10 CPU , a 3.5 millimeter headphone sea dog , and a new 256 GB store choice ( $ 399 ) , in addition to 32 GB ( $ 199 ) and 128 GB ( $ 299 ) models . It ’s useable in blue , pink , ash grey , atomic number 79 , quad grey , and ( ware ) Red .
2022
Apple announces that thelast remaining stock of the iPod touchwill be sold off and the iPod name will officially be retired .
The fifth-gen iPod touch.