Has it really only been
five and a half years since the first iPod rolled off the assembly line and into the initially-skeptical arms of music-loving consumers worldwide? Well since that time we've seen an entire
ecosystem of third-party and DIY accessories sprout up around Apple's ubiquitous little jukebox -- from
the pretty handy to the
just plain weird -- along with endless
humorous anecdotes, an infinite number of
knockoffs, serious
political,
legal, and
environmental movements, and of course, an
almost daily barrage of wild rumors the likes of which the world has never known. So it's with mixed emotion that we welcome the 100 millionth iPod into the world (enough for almost every man, woman, and child in Mexico): on the one hand, it gives us warm fuzzies to see perennial underdog Apple come out on top for a change, but we also hope that the company employs its leadership position responsibly, such as being a little less quick to sic the lawyers on anyone who dares
use the "Pod" name in vain. And as for the next 100 million iPods? Is
PC-less downloading just over the horizon? When will we finally see the move to
an all flash lineup? Will Apple finally take the leap and merge its prize pig with -- gasp! -- a cellular telephone? As always, only time -- and Uncle Steve -- will tell.
posted April 9th 2007 12:10PM
I know you don't have to update every time, but the fact that some people do is what makes Apple so incredible. The people that feel they need 3 different nanos for different workout routines at the gym and a shuffle for work and then a 30 and 60 gig version for everyday use. Apple doesn't force you into anything, but they just do a great job of convincing you to think a certain way. And I know this isn't true about everybody, but I'd bet that the majority of users are multiple iPod owners.
I'm still using my 3rd Gen iPod (the only model with four backlit touch-screen-like buttons,) beside the much complained awful battery life, it still works like a charm (I use it in my car, so the battery isn't a big issue)...plus, it's one of the rare models before the 4th Gen iPod became huge, so at least it's a bit different than most people's.
I'm skeptical about iPhone, but I'm excited to see the next generation iPod.
I went from the iPod to the iPod 3G because the first gen iPod died. My iPod Photo (30 gig) still works but I ran out of space so I upgraded to the 60 gig iPod Color w Video. My main reason for upgrading is due to space.
I'm going to give the iPod photo to my Mom and the iPod Color to my brother when the wide screen iPod comes out. That will leave me with and iPhone and iPod wide screen. (Whenever it comes out.)
Well, that's what MS did with Windows. ;)
I see the 4G as more of a child of the Mini than the 3G, since the Mini was the first to have the clickwheel.
If you would have read my post instead of just running around defending Apple from everyone elses comments, you would have noticed that:
a) I never said that there was a thin market, only that many people have bought multiple iPods in their lifetime ... most likely true since many users have upgraded at some point in their lifetime (myself included: I own a 4G and a new Nano)
b) I never said that it was only founded on Apple enthusiasts buying new models every 6 months only that people buy more than one
c) "anti-Apple fanboi thinking"? My first comment noted how well built the iPods are and my point was that Apple has managed to work their way into people's minds more than anything else and that is a big reason (note that I'm not saying it's the only one) why their business is so high above the rest
And please stop trying to claim everyone else is anti-Apple because it just makes it look like you're a super "fanboi".
I'm surprised you could read my post seeing as how your nose is shoved up Steve Jobs ass.
Thats almost 35 iPods every minute for 5 1/2 years!
That is fricken sweet.
Nice work Apple, you have a winner.
Do the U2 editions really deserve their own presence on the chart? I mean you might as well put up all the different colors and sizes too...
I was rocking my 2nd Gen till last week when the second battery died and I decided it was time to upgrade, I was gonna buy a new one but my brother gave me a Zune as a gift :) still I rather have the iPod!
Also, the iPod Photo was released alongside the iPod. The "iPod color" on the chart is when Apple made the iPod Photo the standard iPod.
The only way the chart could be improved would be by drawing a line between "iPod 4G" and "iPod Color" - because that was the continuum, even if it was the Photo.
While I can certainly see that there will be multiple iPods per one user, the reverse will also be true; that is to say, there will be one iPod spilt amongst siblings, spouses, etc. as well. Either way, it does equal a lot of product, and a lot of people using them. I noticed the lack of some of the 'special' editions, like the Harry Potter one, though. I also think they should put the 5.5G and the shuffle 2.5 (colors) on the chart. A little nitpicky, sure, but they were as different as 1G and 2G, or the 4Gs (photo and color)
Competition? It's only in the past year with the Zune and the Sansa players that things have gotten interesting. All the past designs of the competition were, for lack of a better word, craptastic. I've gone through three iPods, and all are still in use somewhere... My first MP3 player3 was a 128MB Creative Labs POS that was slow, had an interface from hell, and died an unmourned death. My then girlfriend gave me the 5gb first gen. iPod, which is still being used by my daughter. I upgraded to the 4g 30g Photo iPod because it would hold all my MP3s, and promptly got addicted to podcasts. Bought a 80gb 5.5g to watch video podcasts and listen to uncompressed songs, and sold my 4g on eBay. Of course, once an iPod comes out with a big screen (such as the iPhone), I will have to sell my 5.5 gen on eBay. The Zune looked a bit interesting, but no integrated podcast support and the announcement of the iPhone killed it in my book. Long live the iPod! (and give me a real video iPod, Steve! 8GB ain't gonna cut it).
"So what you are saying is that to win in a technology market you have to steal someone's UI. Interesting."
Yeah, just look at Microsoft.
Cousin,
a) I did read your post.
b) I'll defend Apple against stupid assumptions and unsupported commentary every chance I get.
c) Maybe you should refrain from trying to cast people who buy Apple products as Lemmings if you want your post to be taken as a serious inquiry.
d) The majority of my response was in regard to your "purported" business model, which you still seem to miss the boat on. But, let's put it this way, to follow your logic Intel, Microsoft, clothing companies, trading card companies, Sony, etc., all create Lemming customers and make this mysterious "buy an upgrade" every six months model work!
Which is maybe why I cast you in the "fan boi" light to beghin with, because the base premise of your post is that it is only Apple that does this kind of thing, and it's not... every company does, or at the very least hopes they do, it just turns out to be apple that makes it happen most effectively!
pjs,
Obviously you did not read my post well enough considering you were defending points that I never made. By saying that you will defend Apple every chance you get just proves my point about you possibly being the "fanboi". And I'm still trying to figure out what I'm a "fanboi" of since I own Apple products and simply feel that they work with a crazy "business model" which by the way if you really thought I meant that was their entire business practice, you're thicker than the 1G iPod was (google sarcasm to understand what I was really saying). Assumptions and commentary such as people buy multiple iPods doesn't seem too stupid to me considering alot of the people who posted mentioned how they each own a couple. And I don't miss the boat on anything, I know that other companies use a similar theory behind their production. You seemed to miss the boat on all my posts though and continue to add your own assumptions to my commentary. What I wrote is all that I was saying. I'm not defending any other companies, and I'm not bashing Apple so don't bring other companies into this. Since this was an article about Apple and the iPod, I thought I'd keep my comments focused on them instead of lashing out at other companies. And to take from your post, "Maybe you should refrain from trying to cast people who make any semi-negative commentary on Apple products as anti-apple fanbois if you want your post to be taken as a serious inquiry."
Cousin,
Okay, so basically you're trying to write off your entire OP to sarcasm so you can negate the points I'm making.
So be it, if you truly intended that post to have sarcastic overtones and I missed them, then you win.
I'd beg to find the sarcasm in the post and/or the hints to it, especially given the lemmings comments... but, I'll digress.
And, for the record, the assumption that is made with a LOT of the people saying iPod owners continually upgrade or buy more when a new version is released is exactly this, that because of that there can't be nearly as many iPod users out there and somehow anyone who believes that is smoking the Steve-stickie-ickie. It is the very assumption I believed you had made in referring to iPod buyers as lemmings.
Ciao!
I think Creative has an excellent player in the Vision: M, however having a good player is not all that matters. The reason I would never buy a Creative is because I hate Windows Media Player. iTunes is so much more intuitive and user-friendly.
personally i dont have a problem with apple suing the pants off of people using pod, nor would i have a problem with it about products sporting an 'i' prefix, they're all just cashing in on Apple's success
PS - I am an Apple-fanboi, have been ever since I stopped sucking the Windows pollution put out by Microsoft. But, I never said I BLINDLY defend Apple at every occassion.
Give a meritous argument and I don't have a problem.
pjs,
I wasn't trying to win anything, simply state my opinion and support it, however if you're giving me the victory I guess I'll notch it up on an invisible scoreboard somewhere. I didn't mean to imply that I was writing the entire thing off as sarcasm, just the part about it being the "entire" business model of Apple. It was meant to be a comment saying that that's kind of how they do business in regards to the iPod, not that it's the end-all be-all of their operating procedure. And I never made any assumption about people smoking the "Steve-stickie-ickie", that was just your interpretation and possibly influenced by your experience in dealing with other people on the internet. We are not all evil Apple-hating villains, simply people with opinions. The lemming comment was more aimed at all people, not Apple fanbois. Myself included, I purchased my first iPod because it was cool, trendy, and the thing that Apple advertisements made me feel I needed to have. Afterwards I discovered that I didn't need everything they were selling and regretted the impromptu purchase. Tis the nature of the consumer to be a lemming, not just with Apple but with all products. Where one person leads others follow, some of their own accord, and others blindly. Either way, I enjoyed the spirited banter.
Adios!
It would be interesting to know the total number of mp3-players sold during the last 5.5 years. I wouldn't be too surprised it that number was in the 500-million range with all the Chinese models sold in Asia, Africa and other less developed nations.
Sorry if someone already mentioned this but i didnt want to read 71 comments, this post is old.. i wonder if anyone will even read it... i wonder..
but isnt the red line connected to the ipod nano first gen supposed to go to the Mini and not the iPod Color.... i may be wrong but didnt the nano replace the mini.
i hope we don't have to wait 3 years for the iPhone mini (or nano).