iPod facts for kids

iPod

The final iteration of each iPod product. From left to right: iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic and iPod Touch.
Developer	Apple Inc.
Type	Portable media player
Release date	November 10, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-11-10)
Discontinued	May 10, 2022; 3 years ago (2022-05-10)
Units sold	450 million (as of May 2022)
Storage	512 MB—256 GB
Related articles	iPad iPhone (comparison)
Website	www.apple.com/ipod redirects to support.apple.com/ipod-touch

The iPod was a popular series of portable media players. These devices were made by Apple Inc. and let you carry your music and videos with you. The very first iPod came out on November 10, 2001. Over 20 years, Apple sold about 450 million iPods! Apple stopped making iPods on May 10, 2022. It was one of Apple's longest-running products.

Some iPods could also store other files, like a USB flash drive. Before 2019, you could use Apple's iTunes program to put music, photos, videos, games, and more onto your iPod. This worked from computers using Apple's macOS or Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Later, the iPhone and iPad came out. They had many of the same features as the iPod. Eventually, the iPhone became even more popular than the iPod.

The Story of the iPod

Various iPod models. From left to right: iPod 5th generation in a case, iPod 4th generation, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle

Before the iPod, there were other portable music players. But Apple thought they were either too big or too small, and hard to use. Flash memory players couldn't hold many songs. Hard drive players were too big. So, Apple decided to make its own music player.

Steve Jobs, who was the boss of Apple, asked his team to create a better MP3 player. A person named Tony Fadell had an idea for a new MP3 player and a music store to go with it. Apple hired Tony Fadell in 2001 to work on the iPod project.

Tony Fadell's team worked very fast. They created a working model of the iPod in just eight months! The look of the first iPod was inspired by an old radio from 1958. Its unique spinning wheel for controls was inspired by a special phone. Steve Jobs wanted the iPod to be perfect. He even dropped a prototype into a fish tank once to show that it had empty space inside that could be used!

A writer named Vinnie Chieco came up with the name "iPod." He thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the movie, there's a spaceship with smaller "pods" that detach. He saw the computer as the main ship and the iPod as the smaller, personal pod.

The iPod was shown to the public on October 23, 2001. Steve Jobs announced it could hold "1,000 songs in your pocket." It quickly became very popular.

Over the years, the iPod's look changed. Newer iPods got color screens and different fonts. In 2004, Hewlett-Packard (HP) even sold iPods with their own brand name for a while. Apple also made special editions, like a black U2 iPod with the band members' signatures.

Apple kept updating the iPods until 2017 when they stopped making the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle. Finally, on May 10, 2022, Apple stopped making the iPod Touch, which was the last iPod model.

How the iPod Works

Inside the iPod

Older iPods used small hard drives to store music, like tiny computers. Newer iPods, like the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle, used flash memory, which is faster and more durable. All iPods used rechargeable batteries.

Sound Quality

Some early iPods had a small issue with how they played bass sounds, especially with certain headphones. But this was usually not a big problem. Apple also added a feature to limit the maximum volume. This was to help protect people's hearing, especially in places like Europe where there are rules about loud music players.

Connecting Your iPod

Four iPod wall chargers for North America, all made by Apple. These have FireWire (left) and USB (right three) connectors, which allow iPods to charge without a computer. The units have been miniaturized over time.

At first, iPods connected to computers using a special cable called FireWire. This cable also charged the battery. Later, Apple switched to USB cables, which were more common.

Many iPods used a 30-pin "dock connector" to plug into computers and accessories. This connector allowed the iPod to charge and transfer music. In 2012, Apple introduced a smaller, newer connector called Lightning. This new connector is still used on many Apple devices today.

Some iPods, like the iPod Touch, could also connect using Bluetooth (for wireless headphones) and Wi-Fi (for internet).

Cool Accessories

The "Made for iPod" logo found on most classic iPod accessories

Many companies made accessories for the iPod. These included external speakers, remote controls, and protective cases. Some accessories added new features, like FM radio tuners or tools to track your steps while running (like Nike+iPod).

Car companies like BMW and Toyota also started adding ways to connect iPods directly to car stereos. This meant you could control your music using the car's buttons. Even airlines like United and Delta added iPod connections to their airplane seats. This let passengers charge their iPods and watch videos on the seat-back screens.

iPod Software

Playing Music and Videos

iPods could play many types of audio files, like MP3s. Later iPods with color screens could also show photos and play videos.

To put music and videos on an iPod, you usually used Apple's iTunes program on your computer. iTunes helped you organize your music library and sync it to your iPod. If you wanted to put music from your iPod back onto a computer, iTunes 7 and newer versions could do that too.

Easy to Use Interface

The signature iPod click wheel

Most iPods (except the iPod Shuffle and iPod Touch) had a special "click wheel" for controls. This wheel let you scroll through menus and change the volume by spinning your finger. It also had five buttons for playing, pausing, and skipping songs.

The iPod Shuffle was very small and didn't have a screen. It had controls on the earphone cable. The iPod Touch was different. It had a touch screen and worked like an iPhone, but without the phone part. It used Apple's iOS operating system.

The iTunes Store

The iTunes Store opened in 2003. It was an online store where you could buy music, and later, videos and movies. It quickly became very popular.

At first, music from the iTunes Store had a special protection called DRM (Digital Rights Management). This limited how you could use the music. But over time, Apple removed DRM from most of the music, making it easier to use your purchased songs.

iPods could not play music from other online stores that used different DRM systems. Apple said they made very little money from song sales. Instead, the iTunes Store helped sell more iPods.

In 2007, Apple launched the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. This let you buy and download songs directly to your iPhone or iPod Touch using Wi-Fi, without needing a computer.

Games on iPods

You could also play games on many iPods! The very first iPod had a hidden game called Brick. Later, more games like Parachute and Solitaire were added.

In 2006, the iTunes Store started selling more games for iPods. Popular games like Pac-Man and Tetris were available. Many game companies started making games for the iPod, turning it into a small gaming device.

Games for the older iPods were special files. For the iPod Touch, games were downloaded from the App Store, just like on an iPhone.

Storing Your Files

Most iPods could also act like a USB drive to store any kind of computer files. You had to turn on "disk mode" for this.

Music and video files on an iPod were stored in a hidden folder. You needed iTunes or other special programs to put these media files on your iPod so they would play correctly.

iPod Models

While the suffix "Classic" was not introduced until the sixth generation, it has been applied here retroactively to all non-suffixed iPods for clarity.

Model	Generation	Image	Capacity	Connection	Original release date	Minimum OS to sync	Rated battery life (hours)
Classic	1st		5, 10 GB	FireWire	October 23, 2001	Mac: 9, 10.1	audio: 10
			First model, with mechanical scroll wheel. 10 GB model released later.
	2nd		10, 20 GB	FireWire	July 17, 2002	Mac: 10.1 Win: 2000	audio: 10
			Touch-sensitive wheel. FireWire port had a cover. Hold switch revised. Windows compatibility through Musicmatch.
	3rd		10, 15, 20, 30, 40 GB	FireWire (USB for syncing only)	April 28, 2003	Mac: 10.1 Win: 2000	audio: 8
			First complete redesign with all-touch interface, dock connector, 4-pin remote connector and slimmer case. Musicmatch support dropped with later release of iTunes 4.1 for Windows.
	4th (Photo) (with color display)		20, 40 GB	FireWire or USB	July 19, 2004	Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000	audio: 12
			Adopted Click Wheel from iPod Mini, added charging through USB in addition to FireWire.
			photo: 30, 40, 60 GB	FireWire or USB	October 26, 2004	Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000	audio: 15 slideshow: 5
			color: 20, 60 GB		June 28, 2005
			Premium spin-off of 4th generation iPod with color screen, plus picture viewing. Later reintegrated into main iPod line.
	5th		30, 60, 80 GB	USB (FireWire for charging only)	October 12, 2005	Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000	30 GB audio: 14 video: 2 (later 3.5)		60/80 GB audio: 20 video: 3/6.5
			Second full redesign with a slimmer case, and larger screen with video playback. Remote connector near the headphone jack was omitted as was syncing through FireWire. Offered in black or white. Hardware and firmware updated with 60 GB model replaced with 80 GB model on September 12, 2006.
	6th		80, 120, 160 GB	USB (FireWire for charging only)	September 5, 2007	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	80 GB audio: 30 video: 5	120 GB audio: 36 video: 6	160 GB 2007 model audio: 40 video: 7 2009 model audio: 36 video: 6
			Introduced the "Classic" suffix. New interface and anodized aluminum front plate. Silver replaces white. In September 2008 the hardware and firmware was updated with a 120 GB model replacing the 80 GB model and the 160 GB model was discontinued. In September 2009, the 120 GB model was replaced with a 160 GB model. Discontinued on September 9, 2014.
Mini	1st		4 GB	USB or FireWire	January 6, 2004	Mac: 10.1 Win: 2000	audio: 8
			New smaller model, available in 5 colors. Introduced the "Click Wheel".
	2nd		4, 6 GB	USB or FireWire	February 22, 2005	Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000	audio: 18
			Brighter color variants with longer battery life. Click Wheel lettering matched body color. Gold color discontinued. Later replaced by iPod Nano.
Nano	1st		1, 2, 4 GB	USB (FireWire for charging only)	September 7, 2005	Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000	audio: 14 slideshow: 4
			Replaced Mini. Available in black or white and used flash memory. Color screen for picture viewing. 1 GB version released later.
	2nd		2, 4, 8 GB	USB (FireWire for charging only)	September 12, 2006	Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000	audio: 24 slideshow: 5
			Anodized aluminum casing and 6 colors available.
	3rd		4, 8 GB	USB (FireWire for charging only)	September 5, 2007	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	audio: 24 video: 5
			2" QVGA screen, colors refreshed with chrome back, new interface, video capability, smaller Click Wheel.
	4th		4, 8, 16 GB	USB	September 9, 2008	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	audio: 24 video: 4
			Reverted to tall form factor and all-aluminum enclosure with nine color choices, added accelerometer for "shake to shuffle" functionality and horizontal viewing. 4 GB model limited release in selected markets.
	5th		8, 16 GB	USB	September 9, 2009	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	audio: 24 video: 5
			First iPod to include a video camera; also included a larger screen, FM radio, speaker, pedometer, and a polished exterior case while retaining similar colors to the 4th generation model.
	6th		8, 16 GB	USB	September 1, 2010	Mac: 10.5 Win: XP	audio: 24
			First iPod Nano to include multi-touch screen; clip from iPod Shuffle added. Video playback, speakers and camera removed.
	7th		16 GB	USB	September 12, 2012	Mac: 10.6 Win: XP	audio: 30 video: 3.5
			Reverted to tall form factor with larger 2.5" multi-touch screen. Clip removed. Video playback restored and Bluetooth added. Replaced 30-pin dock connector with new Lightning connector. Discontinued July 27, 2017.
Shuffle	1st		512 MB, 1 GB	USB (no adaptor required)	January 11, 2005	Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000	audio: 12
			New entry-level model. Uses flash memory and has no screen.
	2nd		1, 2 GB	USB	September 12, 2006	Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000	audio: 12
			Smaller clip design with anodized aluminum casing. 4 color options added later. Colors were changed in 2007 and 2008.
	3rd		2, 4 GB	USB	March 11, 2009	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	audio: 10
			Smaller design with controls relocated to right earbud cable. Introduced with two colors, and featured VoiceOver. More colors and 2 GB model added in September 2009.
	4th		2 GB	USB	September 1, 2010	Mac: 10.5 Win: XP	audio: 15
			Controls returned to the body of the iPod. Introduced with five colors, and featured VoiceOver. Discontinued July 27, 2017.
Touch	1st		8, 16, 32 GB	USB (FireWire for charging only)	September 5, 2007	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	audio: 22 video: 5
			First iPod with Wi-Fi and a Multi-touch interface. Features Safari browser and wireless access to the iTunes Store and YouTube. 32 GB model later added. iOS 2.0 and App Store access required an upgrade fee.
	2nd		8, 16, 32 GB	USB	September 9, 2008	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	audio: 36 video: 6
			New tapered chrome back with Nike+ functionality, volume buttons, and built-in speaker added. iOS 2.0 and App Store access standard. Bluetooth support added but not made active until iOS 3.0, which required an upgrade fee.
	3rd		32, 64 GB	USB	September 9, 2009	Mac: 10.4 Win: XP	audio: 30 video: 6
			Updated to include the upgraded internals from the iPhone 3GS; included Voice Control support and bundled remote earphones.
	4th		8, 16, 32, 64 GB	USB	September 1, 2010	Mac: 10.5 Win: XP	audio: 40 video: 7
			New thinner design including two cameras for FaceTime and HD video recording, hold button moved to top right corner, Retina Display similar to iPhone 4, Apple A4 chip. White-colored version added on October 4, 2011.
	5th		16, 32, 64 GB	USB (over Lightning)	September 12, 2012	Mac: 10.6 Win: XP	audio: 40 video: 8
			New aluminum design with colored case options. Featured improved cameras along with A5 processor, Siri, and taller 4" Retina Display. First 16 GB models released have no color choices and no iSight camera, In early 2014 16 GB models were released that featured iSight cameras and color choices.
	6th		16, 32, 64, 128 GB	USB (over Lightning)	July 15, 2015	Mac: 10.7 Win: 7	audio: 40 video: 8
			Updated with a new lineup of six colors, a new 128 GB model, and improved internals. The improved internals feature new cameras and the A8 processor with M8 motion coprocessor, 1 GB of RAM (twice the amount of the previous generation), and 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
	7th		32, 128, 256 GB	USB (over Lightning)	May 28, 2019	Mac: 10.11.4 Win: 7	audio: 40 video: 8
			Updated with a new 256 GB model, and an upgraded SoC from the A8 to the A10 Fusion. Also added support for features not previously supported on the 6th generation iPod touch, like AR and Group FaceTime. Discontinued May 10, 2022.
Sources: Apple Inc., Mactracker

How the iPod Changed Things

iPods won many awards for their design and how easy they were to use. Many people said the iPod "changed the world for portable music players." Other companies started making their products work better with iPods and the music files it used.

The iPod also became popular in schools and businesses. For example, some hospitals used iPods to train new staff. Universities like Duke University even gave iPods to their new students.

The iPod also changed the music industry. Because it was so easy to buy and listen to single songs, people started buying fewer full albums. This helped change how people listened to and bought music.

Timeline of iPod Models

Timeline of iPod models and related products

Images for kids

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  Two early designs of iPod earphones

• 

  Apple EarPods, introduced 2012

See also

In Spanish: IPod para niños

• Comparison of portable media players
• Comparison of iPod managers
• iPhone
• Podcast
• iPad