History of IPod in Timeline
The iPod, a series of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc. from 2001 to 2022, revolutionized how people consumed music. Launched in November 2001, shortly after iTunes, it quickly gained popularity for its sleek design and user-friendly interface. By 2022, Apple had sold an estimated 450 million iPods. Discontinued on May 10, 2022, the iPod brand holds the record as Apple's longest-running discontinued product line, spanning over two decades. Its impact on the music industry and portable media consumption is undeniable.
1958: Inspiration for iPod physical appearance
In 1958, the Braun T3 transistor radio designed by Dieter Rams inspired the physical appearance of the original iPod. The wheel-based user interface was drawn from Bang & Olufsen's BeoCom 6000 telephone.
1991: Earliest Recorded Use of "iPod" Trademark
In 1991, Chrysalis Corp. of Sturgis, Michigan, styled "iPOD", first used the "iPod" trademark in commerce for office furniture.
March 1998: First iPod Kiosks Demonstrated
In March 1998, the first iPod kiosks were demonstrated to the public in New Jersey.
January 2000: Commercial Use of iPod Kiosks Begins
Commercial use of the iPod kiosks began in January 2000, but the venture had apparently been discontinued by 2001.
July 2000: Trademark Listing for "iPod"
In July 2000, Joseph N. Grasso of New Jersey originally listed an "iPod" trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for Internet kiosks.
October 23, 2001: iPod Unveiled
On October 23, 2001, Apple unveiled the iPod, a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive capable of holding "1,000 songs in your pocket." The product was developed in less than one year.
November 10, 2001: First iPod Released
On November 10, 2001, Apple released the first version of the iPod, a portable media player. This occurred approximately eight and a half months after the release of the Macintosh version of iTunes.
2001: Tony Fadell Hired by Apple to Work on iPod
In 2001, Tony Fadell was hired by Apple as an independent contractor to work on the iPod project, which was then code-named Project P-68. Fadell secured support for his project with Apple Computer.
2001: Origin of the Name 'iPod'
In 2001, the name iPod was suggested by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter contracted by Apple. He drew inspiration from the phrase "Open the pod bay doors, Hal" from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey," drawing a parallel between the Discovery One spaceship's EVA Pods and a personal computer's relationship to its companion music player.
2001: iPod Kiosk Venture Discontinued
The iPod kiosk venture appears to have been discontinued in 2001.
April 28, 2003: Launch of iTunes Store
On April 28, 2003, Apple introduced the iTunes Store, an online media store accessed through iTunes. It quickly became the market leader.
November 14, 2003: Apple Announces Battery Replacement Program
On November 14, 2003, Apple announced a battery replacement program for the iPod, a week before a high publicity stunt and website by the Neistat Brothers. The initial cost was US$99.
November 2003: iPod Trademark Registered by USPTO
In November 2003, the "iPod" trademark was registered by the USPTO.
2003: Class Action Lawsuits Filed Against Apple Over iPod Battery Life
In 2003, class action lawsuits were brought against Apple regarding the iPod, complaining that the battery charges lasted for shorter lengths of time than stated and that the battery degraded over time. The lawsuits were settled by offering individuals with first- or second-generation iPods either US$50 store credit or a free battery replacement, and offering individuals with third-generation iPods an extended warranty.
January 8, 2004: HP to Sell HP-Branded iPods
On January 8, 2004, Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced that they would sell HP-branded iPods under a license agreement from Apple, leveraging new retail channels like Walmart. The HP-branded iPods eventually made up 5% of all iPod sales.
January 2004: iPod Sales Increase U.S. Market Share
During the year from January 2004 to January 2005, the high rate of sales caused the iPod U.S. market share to increase from 31% to 65%.
October 2004: iPod Dominates Digital Music Player Sales
Since October 2004, the iPod line has dominated digital music player sales in the United States, with over 90% of the market for hard drive-based players and over 70% of the market for all types of players.
November 2004: Creative CEO Declares War on iPod
In November 2004, Creative's CEO publicly "declared war" on the iPod, marking a period of intense competition in the digital audio player market.
January 2005: iPod U.S. Market Share increased to 65%
From January 2004 to January 2005, the iPod U.S. market share increased from 31% to 65% due to high sales rates.
July 2005: HP Stops Selling iPods
In July 2005, HP stopped selling iPods due to unfavorable terms and conditions imposed by Apple.
July 2005: iPod Market Share Measured at 74%
In July 2005, the iPod market share in the U.S. was measured at 74%.
August 9, 2005: Creative Technology Granted Patent on Music Selection Interface
On August 9, 2005, Creative Technology was granted a patent on a portion of the music selection interface used by the iPod line. Creative Technology dubbed it the "Zen Patent".
August 2005: Apple Receives Third Non-Final Rejection for iPod Patent
In August 2005, Apple's application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent on "rotational user inputs", as used on the iPod interface, received a third "non-final rejection" (NFR).
September 2005: First Generation iPod Nano Overheating Issue
Starting in September 2005, The first generation iPod Nano may overheat and pose a health and safety risk. Affected iPod Nanos were sold between September 2005 and December 2006. Apple recommended that owners of affected iPod Nanos stop using them.
October 12, 2005: iTunes Store Begins Selling Videos
On October 12, 2005, Apple announced the sale of videos through the iTunes Store.
2005: Low iPod Market Share in South Korea
As of 2005, Apple's iPod held a market share of less than 2% in South Korea, compared to market leaders like iriver, Samsung, and Cowon.
2005: Apple Faces Patent Infringement Lawsuits
In 2005, Apple faced two lawsuits claiming patent infringement by the iPod line and its associated technologies. Advanced Audio Devices claimed the iPod line breached its patent on a "music jukebox", and Pat-rights claimed Apple's FairPlay technology breached a patent.
2005: Apple Lowers Battery Replacement Cost
In 2005, Apple lowered the cost of its iPod battery replacement program to US$59.
2005: iPod Automobile Interface Released
In 2005, BMW released the first iPod automobile interface, allowing drivers to control their iPod using steering wheel controls or the radio head-unit buttons. Apple announced that similar systems would be available for other vehicle brands.
2005: Trademark Assigned to Apple Computer, Inc.
In 2005, Joseph Grasso assigned the "iPod" trademark to Apple Computer, Inc.
2005: Complaints about iPod Lifespan and Fragility
In 2005, there were complaints about the alleged short lifespan and fragile hard drives of iPods. A survey conducted on the MacInTouch website found an average failure rate of 13.7% for the iPod line, with hard drive-based models having higher failure rates than flash memory models. Additionally, users complained about the first-generation iPod Nano's easily scratched surface, leading to a class-action lawsuit.
May 15, 2006: Creative Files Suit Against Apple
On May 15, 2006, Creative filed another suit against Apple with the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging patent infringement by the iPod.
June 11, 2006: Report on iPod Manufacturing Labor Conditions
On June 11, 2006, The Mail on Sunday reported that iPods are mainly manufactured by workers who earn no more than US$50 per month and work 15-hour shifts. Apple investigated the case and found some labor practices did not meet their Code of Conduct, including employees working over 60 hours a week for 35% of the time.
August 24, 2006: Apple and Creative Settle Legal Disputes
On August 24, 2006, Apple and Creative settled their legal disputes, with Apple paying Creative US$100 million for a license to use Creative's patent in all Apple products. Creative announced plans to produce iPod accessories as part of the Made for iPod program.
September 12, 2006: Full-Length Movies Available on iTunes Store
On September 12, 2006, full-length movies became available for purchase on the iTunes Store.
September 2006: iTunes Store Offers Games for iPod
In September 2006, the iTunes Store began offering additional games for purchase with the launch of iTunes 7, compatible with the fifth-generation iPod. Games included Bejeweled, Cubis 2, Mahjong, Mini Golf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex, Asphalt 4: Elite Racing and Zuma.
December 2006: End of Sales for Affected iPod Nanos
The affected iPod Nanos, facing overheating issues, were sold between September 2005 and December 2006. Apple offered a product replacement program, replacing the affected Nanos with current generation Nanos free of charge.
2006: iPod Labor Distribution in U.S. and Overseas
As of 2006, the iPod production involved about 14,000 workers in the U.S. and 27,000 overseas. Salaries were primarily distributed to highly skilled U.S. professionals.
2006: Special Edition U2 iPod Released
In 2006, Apple partnered with U2 to release a special edition of the 5th-generation iPod. It featured the band members' signatures engraved on a black stainless steel back and came with 30 GB of storage. Purchasers received an exclusive video with 33 minutes of interviews and performance by U2, downloadable from the iTunes Store.
2006: Equalizer Distortion Issue in iPods
In 2006, for all iPods released in 2006 and earlier, some equalizer (EQ) sound settings can easily distort the bass sound, even on undemanding tracks.
December 31, 2006: Formation of Union at Foxconn Factory
On December 31, 2006, workers at the Foxconn factory in Longhua, Shenzhen formed a union affiliated with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the Chinese government-approved union umbrella organization.
January 2007: Apple Reports Record Quarterly Revenue
In January 2007, Apple reported record quarterly revenue of US$7.1 billion, with 48% of the revenue being attributed to iPod sales.
January 2007: iPod Market Share Reaches 72.7%
In January 2007, according to Bloomberg Online, the iPod market share reached 72.7%.
April 9, 2007: Apple Sells 100 Millionth iPod
On April 9, 2007, Apple announced it had sold its 100 millionth iPod, making it the best-selling digital music player of all time.
July 3, 2007: Universal Music Group's Contract with iTunes Store Not Renewed
On July 3, 2007, Universal Music Group decided not to renew their contract with the iTunes Store and began supplying iTunes in an 'at will' capacity.
September 5, 2007: iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store Debuted
On September 5, 2007, Apple debuted the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store at its Media Event entitled "The Beat Goes On...". This service allowed users to access the Music Store from an iPhone or iPod Touch and download songs directly to the device.
October 17, 2007: Price Reduction for iTunes Plus Songs
On October 17, 2007, Apple lowered the cost of individual iTunes Plus songs to US$0.99 per song, matching the price of DRM encoded tracks.
2007: iPod Interface Modified
In 2007, Apple modified the iPod interface with the introduction of the sixth-generation iPod Classic and third-generation iPod Nano. The update included changing the font to Helvetica and splitting the screen to display menus on the left and album artwork, photos, or videos on the right.
October 21, 2008: iPod Revenue Declines
On October 21, 2008, Apple reported that only 14.21% of total revenue for fiscal quarter 4 of the year 2008 came from iPod sales.
January 6, 2009: DRM Removed from 80% of Music Catalog
On January 6, 2009, Apple announced that DRM had been removed from 80% of the music catalog and would be removed from all music by April 2009.
April 2009: DRM Removed from All Music
By April 2009, Apple had removed DRM from all music in its catalog.
June 2009: Apple Expects Decline in MP3 Player Sales
In June 2009, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer stated that they expect their traditional MP3 players to decline over time as they cannibalize themselves with the iPod Touch and the iPhone.
September 9, 2009: Apple Announces Total Cumulative iPod Sales
During the Apple Event Keynote presentation on September 9, 2009, Phil Schiller announced that total cumulative sales of iPods exceeded 220 million units.
2009: Employee Suicide After Missing Apple Prototype
In 2009, an employee killed himself after an Apple prototype went missing, claiming in messages to friends that he had been beaten and interrogated.
2010: iPhone Sales Overtake iPod Sales
During 2010, iPhone sales surpassed those of the iPod. Though the iPhone and iPad share similar media player capabilities with the iPod line, they are treated as distinct products.
2011: iPod Holds 70% Market Share Globally
As of 2011, the iPod held a 70% market share in the global MP3 player market, with the Sansa line from SanDisk noted as its closest competitor.
September 12, 2012: Introduction of Lightning Connector
On September 12, 2012, Apple introduced the new 8-pin Lightning connector with the announcement of the iPhone 5, the fifth-generation iPod Touch, and the seventh-generation iPod Nano. It replaced the older 30-pin dock connector.
September 2012: Apple Reports Total iPod Sales Worldwide
As of September 2012, Apple reported that the total number of iPods sold worldwide reached 350 million.
2013: No New iPod Model Introduced
In 2013, Apple did not introduce a new iPod model onto the market, signaling the continual decline of iPod sales since 2009.
2013: EU Volume Limit and User Option to Disable in 6th Generation iPods
In late 2013, users reported that new sixth-generation iPods had a new option that allowed them to disable the EU volume limit, after Apple previously had to remove iPods from shelves in France for exceeding this legal limit. Some have attributed this change to a software update that shipped with these devices.
2015: New iPod Color Schemes Spotted
In mid-2015, new color schemes for current iPod models were found in the iTunes 12.2 update, originally discovered by a Belgian website after plugging in an iPod.
July 27, 2017: iPod Nano and Shuffle Discontinued
On July 27, 2017, Apple discontinued the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle, ending the production of standalone music players. Apple also discontinued the iPod Touch on May 10, 2022, ending the iPod line. The 7th generation iPod touch did not support iOS 16 and above.
May 10, 2022: iPod Product Line Discontinued
On May 10, 2022, Apple discontinued the iPod product line. Having been in production for over 20 years, the iPod is the longest-running product line to be discontinued by Apple.
Mentioned in this timeline
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