The iPod turns five

Hard to believe it, but a half decade ago today Steve Jobs stood up in front of a small crowd and introduced an "MP3 music player... that plays all of the popular open formats of digital music, MP3, MP3 VBR, WAV, and AIFF," a device that changed the consumer electronics industry forever. Of course, that device was the iPod. Love it or hate it (we tend to have mixed feelings about it 'round Engadget HQ), the iPod helped to make consumer electronics cool again, and managed to be a huge step forward for the CE industry shortly after the tech bubble had burst -- and during a time when the country was in turmoil after the attacks of 9/11, no less. No, the iPod wasn't the first digital music player -- not even the first with a portable hard drive -- but we're not going to wax on about what it was that charmed tens of millions of consumers out of their hard earned cash. So we figured it'd be enough to present to you an iPod family tree, do a little groundskeeping to make sure the iPod family cemetery is in good shape, and let you blow out the iPod's birthday candles whichever way you like.

P.S. - Check out Steve's original introduction to the iPod after the break. Ah, memories.

[BoZs13 @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:34PM]

LOL, Mike.....My thoughts exactly...LOL

[delerious @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:26PM]

What about the HP Shuffle and the HP iPod mini?

[Kendall Tawes @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:32PM]

I just noticed but during the presentation they has a Beetles Album on the screen. Oh how times have changed. I believe it was a "Hard Days Night".

[Eric @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:53PM]

Actually, nothing has really changed regarding iPod and The Beatles.

In 2001, They introduced iPod with a picture of A Hard Day's Night behind it (among other CDs).

In 2006, they introduced iTunes 7 with Abbey Road on screen, and actually called it by name.

A Hard Day's Night was released in 1964, Abbey Road in 1969. Five years of The Beatles, five years of iPod.

[Henry @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:32PM]

What about (PRODUCT) Red? (or however the crap you're supposed to write it)

[Giddieon @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:33PM]

There are missing an iPod the Harry Potter iPod is not up there....

[Jay T @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:35PM]

Wow what an Evolution. After all these years we have:

No FM Radio
Search By Name
Same Screen Size
iTUNES 7
Color Screen
No Removable Battery
No Wireless
Minimal Changes to Casing: Plastic, Brushed Metal, Plastic, Brushed Metal

It doesn't matter though. People will buy anything with iPOD stamped on it.

[Joe Henson @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:42PM]

Why change something that is near perfect?

p.s. I also use an eMate so probably don't know what I am talking about!

[John from Buffalo @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:59PM]

Until the business model is rendered useless and your margins are cut by more than 50%, you stay with what works. In the computer industry, the fact that sales CONTINUE to climb says a lot about the Apple design teams for the iPod. It works, so don't fucking fix it.

[Derrick @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:04PM]

No FM Radio (WTF - I got my iPod so I DIDN'T have to listen to the radio anymore)
Search By Name
Same Screen Size (The screen increased from the 4g to the 5G and also added color)
iTUNES 7
Color Screen
No Removable Battery (yeah, that kinds sucks, but really you know you're gonna buy a new one anyway by the time the battery kicks it, unless you're still driving your 82' Geo Metro)
No Wireless (Tell me again why I want wireless? Look at the Zune)
Minimal Changes to Casing: Plastic, Brushed Metal, Plastic, Brushed Metal (Why fix what isn't broke)

Overall I'd say things have changed for the better.

[Matt @ Oct 23rd 2006 10:10PM]

Wow what an Evolution. After all these years we have:

No FM Radio


Umm my 5G has a radio, just have to use the headphones with remote and then Radio shows up on the main menu. It's far from perfect but it works.

[SteveJ @ Oct 24th 2006 1:38PM]

Regarding radio - most (all?) such portable FM radios stink. I got my wife a Sony sport FM radio, a dedicated radio, and the reception is absolutely terrible. It's all but useless. The problem, I think, is lack of a real antenna. Things like the Sony use the headphone cable as an antenna, but it doesn't work very well. I believe that the FM radio remote for the iPod uses the remote's cable as an antenna, along with your headphone cable, which makes for a longer antenna (but also a longer cable). It works OK, which is not to say great. It is better than the Sony, but that isn't really saying much. However, it is also a remote, and I use it as a remote all the time. I put my iPod in my pocket and clip the remote to the outside of my pocket. It's nice. So, it's a good remote, and a radio that sometimes comes in handy when the reception proves adequate. I wish it had AM because the local baseball team's (Orioles') games are on AM radio. That's the only thing on AM radio I'd like to listen to. Anyway, what I'm really getting at is that I think Apple hasn't included a radio built-in because such radios don't work very well.

[phi @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:45PM]

pretty sad that you can't use firewire on iPods these days.

[aide @ Oct 23rd 2006 2:11PM]

cant you do it through the dock connector? (i dont have an iPod)

[Lee Gibson @ Oct 23rd 2006 2:31PM]

Why not?

[chris @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:27PM]

you can still use FireWire - if your like me and held on to your Version 1 ipod ... Yes I still have my first generation ipod - I updated the battery and cant find a cause to update it - Its amzing the reactions people have in the subway here in NY City when I pop it out and spin the manual click wheel - as if I was holding an old ham radio in my hand!

[spil @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:01PM]

I miss having firewire on my iPod. When I upgraded to a 5g last year, I had to buy another USB hub to accomidate all of my things, and yet my firewire port is all alone. I'm thinking of buying a 1g iPod just for the novelty, so if anyone wants to get rid of one, I'll take it!

I also miss the great boxes. They were so fun to open, and now they come wiht about half of the stuff they used too. Luckiy I got a USB charger off one of my friends for $12, it would have killed my to pay like $30 for one.

[spil @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:36PM]

I miss having firewire on my iPod. When I upgraded to a 5g last year, I had to buy another USB hub to accomidate all of my things, and yet my firewire port is all alone. I'm thinking of buying a 1g iPod just for the novelty, so if anyone wants to get rid of one, I'll take it!

I also miss the great boxes. They were so fun to open, and now they come wiht about half of the stuff they used too. Luckiy I got a USB charger off one of my friends for $12, it would have killed my to pay like $30 for one.

[Andy @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:47PM]

Wow, it seems like this was just yesterday. Apple sure did get this market right.

[ian9outof10 @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:47PM]

I bloody hate the stupid thing it's amazing it lasted this long (although individually they don't).

Someone once said to me "if it's so crap, why do they sell so many" and to that I have to reply "Look at the Motorola Razr. That's total bollocks too, and they've still sold a shed-load. People are a tiny bit dumb"

[yongwang55555 @ Oct 28th 2006 12:50AM]

and you're not?

[Dan @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:50PM]

I have a link to the full video of the launch if anyone is interested...

http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2006/10/8008/

[Dan @ Oct 23rd 2006 12:50PM]

I have a link to the full video of the launch if anyone is interested...

http://uneasysilence.com/archive/2006/10/8008/

[Joe Henson @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:05PM]

precisely

[ChillyWilly @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:04PM]

@ Jay T... so does this mean you will be selling your iPod?

@ ian9outof10... let Jay T sell his iPod before you sell your RAZR.

As for 5 years later, I think a lot of progress has been made. It's not so much the iPod name, it's the simple use. Find me another player that is just as easy to use (interface, file transfer, ID3 tag editing, etc.) and I'll put it up against the iPod.

[tecnocrat @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:06PM]

I don't think that's the actual public unveiling. I saw that a while back, wasn't it an internal showing / test showing?

[irony... @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:13PM]

since we're having a feature debate:

bluetooth would be nice (for BT headphones etc), but would gobble battery life. (do any competitors have this?)

An FM transmitter would be nice - to play over your car radio. (competitors have this)

An FM receiver would be nice, in case you want to listen to the news or something. (do any competitors have this?)

Peer-to-peer wifi seems like a gimmick.

BTW- the guy that said the the ipod and RAZR are rubbish - what planet are you from, dude? RAZR is a fine piece of hardware. Ditto with the ipod. Oh well, I guess there will always be at least one hater.

[Clint @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:17PM]

There's a joke in here about "hate the game, not the player" but I haven't had enough caffeine to find it.

[Matt McLellan @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:44PM]

I think your diagram is slightly flawed...wouldn't the nano be a descendant of the mini?

[Kev @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:47PM]

Please pardon people asking for an FM radio for not wanting to be an ignorant bunch of iPod whores. You can still do better, that's what engineering is all about. Apple has been making it better but is still off the mark by a notch, missing more of the market that gets siphoned off to other players that do meet needs.

[Matt B @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:50PM]

Jogging with your ipod is one thing, strolling around the mall or work with it screams "don't bother me, I'm cooler than you!" If you want to be so isolated, why are you in a public place wanting to "be alone".

[spil @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:44PM]

Maybe if you are at work with your iPod, you are concentrating, and don't want to be distracted by your coworkers, and remember that people HAVE to go to work, its not whether they feel like socializing or not. Maybe when people go to the mall, they don't go to to "hang out", they might actually go there to buy things, and not want to be with other people. I know that I wouldn't want to go underwear shopping at the mall with all of my frineds, I don't know about you.

[Ryan Block @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:55PM]

In that sense it's more of a chronological family tree than a geneological one. Since they're different products/names, that's how I chose to order it.

[mrhammerstein @ Oct 23rd 2006 1:58PM]

does it really take 5 minutes to transfer 1 cd? was usb 1.0 that bad? i don't remember that. wow, are they boasting some questionable stats in that video.

[DM @ Oct 23rd 2006 2:00PM]

Wow, 5 years, and it's all coming to an end. Good riddance!

[jasondefaoite @ Oct 23rd 2006 2:07PM]

mrhammerstein, I had a Creative Nomad 1 for a year or so before the iPod. 5 mins was probably an underestimation, for me it was much longer.

But gotta love the stats in the video, portable CD player, $75, holds 15 songs, so that's $5 a song. Wth? Steve ... you *can* change the cd

[phi @ Oct 23rd 2006 2:16PM]

Not with the newer generations. They can charge via Firewire but not sync.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod#Connectivity

[Eric @ Oct 23rd 2006 2:17PM]

While I rarely listen to the FM radio on my DAP, I appreciate that it's there. It's such a small addition (in regards to footprint and cost), I don't understand why it's not on every product. Sometimes, rarely, but it happens, I want to listen to the radio because I get sick of the music I have on my player. It's nice to have that option when the time comes.

In regards to wireless, it's not the Zune execution of wireless that people are clamoring for. It's what people *thought* the Zune was going to do (and the fact that it doesn't kinda sucks).
Why can't I wirelessly sync with an online music store from anywhere I can get a connection to the internet? I don't want to have to dig around for a USB cable to upload music to my player. I would love to be able, at the end of the night, to just say "dump this playlist onto my player that's in my backpack", and go to bed. When I wake up I'm ready to go.

Why is that so hard?

[Steve @ Oct 23rd 2006 2:30PM]

I love the iPod, but I do agree that they should add an FM tuner, but not for music reasons. iPods are used a lot for working out, especially the Nano. A lot of times when people are at the gym they like to watch the TVs, which all use FM signals for the audio. Sure you can use the Apple remote that comes with the FM tuner or the Griffin accessory that does, but if you use those you are using up your dock port and then you can't use the Nike+iPod. So either Apple needs to add FM to at least the Nano or someone needs to make a dock splitter.

On a side note, in the family tree I think the Second Generation Nano should be the child of the original Nano and the Mini.

[chezzo @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:11PM]

so, kendall... in the past 5 years times have changed from everybody listening to the Beatles to nobody liking them any more? what are you talking about?
1. The Beatles were around in the 60s, not 2001
2. Plenty of people still listen to the Beatles. And not just old people trying to relive their youth- I'm 17 and am a big fan, I find that a lot of their stuff just hasn't been equaled by any bands since.
3. It's spelt Beatles you idiot, they're not insects

[Tom @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:20PM]

I think kendall was referring to the irony of using the Beatles because of their lawsuit for using Apple in reference to music. (Apple was the name of the Beatles record label). Also ironic, b/c the Beatles music is unavailable through the iTunes Store.

[PreGHz @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:13PM]

Totally my birthday today, not that anyone cares. I just think it's funny how the iPod and I share the same birthday, along with Mole Day.

[Chris McDowell @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:21PM]

Remember when the iPod first came out and all it did was play music? Then that kid hacked it so it would do contacts and notes? Then Apple updated the firmware to add that functionality....Ahhhh the first iPod update.

[Edward K. @ Oct 23rd 2006 7:08PM]

lol i totally dont remember that. that's cool

[Jason @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:23PM]

Happy birthday.

Why anyone would argue against FM is beyond me. It's useful. So is WiFi transfer. I wish the scrollbars on my web browser were circular so they worked as well as the ipod wheel. It's not the bestest of the best concept and I'm sure it will be improved later on. It's nice that it combines the buttons, though.

The iPod, to me, is too basic and not very "Apple". I want to be wowed by the luxurious cross-fading and pretty interface. As it is now, the interface seems like a knock off of Aqua and the playback seems a little too pedestrian. I own an iPod Nano second gen.

More power to Apple with their incremental updates and stretching it to the limit. As long as people like me are dumb enough to buy them, iPods will be number one.

[mistersquared @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:24PM]

I believe that you are forgetting the 3rd Generation U2 iPod. There one one based off of the 3G iPod that had the buttons above the wheel.

[Eric @ Oct 23rd 2006 3:53PM]

They're not forgetting it... it never existed.

iPod models:

iPod (1G)
iPod (2G):
Original
Madonna
Tony Hawk
Beck
No Doubt
iPod (3G)
iPod 4G:
Original
U2
Photo
Colour
Colour U2
Harry Potter
iPod 5G:
Original
U2
Harry Potter
iPod mini (plus 2G)
iPod shuffle
iPod shuffle 2G
iPod nano
iPod nano 2G

Until November 2004 all full-sized iPods were white.

[Jim L @ Oct 23rd 2006 4:52PM]

Not having an FM tuner is part of the reason I haven't bought a iPod. I think of all the times I have been listening to something on NPR and wished I could just set my radio to record the rest of the program for later. It could be a whole new market for digital audio recorders. Seems like a natural extension to me.

[kriz @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:24PM]

"Please pardon people asking for an FM radio for not wanting to be an ignorant bunch of iPod whores."

Um, there is an FM radio option available from Apple and has been for awhile now.

I am so sick of people who claim a product sucks unless it has 10,000,000,000,000 features crammed into it.

There are plenty of MP3 players with dozens of buttons and a bunch of extra features, and guess what, none of them has made a dent in the iPods market dominance.

The iPod is succesful because its easy to use, whether its on its own, or connecting with iTunes. Its primary focus is playing music, and although its added a few new features, they don't get in the way of that primary purpose.

And for all those iPod haters out there, seriously, did an iPod kill your mothers or something? You don't like the feature set? Fine! No one is forcing you to buy one, you have plenty of choices. Yes legitimate critcism over things like battery life and quality are one thing, but talking about how much you hate it and hope it suddenly vanishes from the face of the earth? What like you aren't allowed to buy any other MP3 players all of a sudden? Seriously, get some help.

[Bill @ Oct 23rd 2006 5:38PM]

I can honestly say I don't hate iPods but I do hate the iTude that seems to infect the owners of Apple products.