History of the iPod

What is an iPod?

The iPod belongs to the generation of hard drive based portable media players, allowing the user to store audio and video material in digital format and listen to them in playback.

How does it work?

One of the features of the iPod which makes it so popular and easy to use is its “hierarchically ordered graphical user interface.” Designed and patented by Apple, the user starts at a “home” page where a main category is selected and then selects subsequently more specific options directly related to the higher order category. The design has proven visually appealing, simple, and attractive, with its color screen and wheel used for scrolling. The rotational scrolling is perhaps one of the most recognizable and revolutionary features of the iPod, making it much smoother to navigate than its predecessors. The iPod Touch is the only iPod without a wheel, which has been replaced by a 3.5” touch screen and a "home" button. The device is powered on a lithium ion battery, which provides audio playback for 8 to 40 hours, and video from 2 to 7 hours, depending on the model and generation.

What are the various components of the iPod?

There is over 451 components to an iPod. The internal parts include several chips and electronics made of metal and plastic. Externally there is a plastic black or white housing for the iPod and a 3G LCD Screen.

Where is it made?

While the iPod is a consumer electronics device designed in California by Apple Computer, its components are made and assembled by various countries outside of the United States. The iPod is assembled by various Taiwanese companies, including Asustek , Inventec Appliances and Foxconn. The most expensive part of the iPod device, the hardrive ($73), is manufactured by the Japanese company Toshiba. However, the majority of its products are made in the Philippines and China. The display module ($20), the video/ multimedia processor chip ($8), and the controller chip ($45) are all produced in China. Only two chips within the iPod ($13) are produced in the United States.

Influences

The iPod is a perfect synthesis of three technological advances: music listening devices, computing devices and iTunes.

Music Listening Devices: the MP3

Dr. Fujio Masuoka invented the flash memory drive in 1980. Unlike a hard-disk drive, the flash memory drive is a solid state device but does not require moving parts, consuming less battery life. This gave birth to smaller versions of the iPod, such as the iPod Nano. The most notable problem associated with flash memory, low-storage capacity, has been solved with technological advances. In turn, the cheaper price of a flash memory drive compared to a hard drive has significantly contributed to the success of small MP3 players.

History of computing devices

1834: Analytical Engine was created by Charles Baggage. This was the first fully-automatic calculating machine. Babbage actually failed to finish building his machine due to many reasons but his theoretical and mathematical contribution to the science is unprecedented.

1840s: Boolean data type was created by George Boole. It represents the first logical data type to represent truth values of logic using Boolean algebra. Boolean algebra is a system of conditional mathematical statements to evaluate if something is true or false. His mathematical logic was used to create computing codes of operation.

1930s: Memex was created by Vannevar Bush. Memex was the first proto-hypertext system that was intended to store photos, books and articles on microfilm reels inset within a desk where users could view the reels through a glass top. The hypertext documents he was working with were static (not changeable), however the hypertext documents that we use on a daily basis are dynamic and constantly changing on the internet.

1936: Turing Machine was created by Alan Turing. This machine was particularly influential in creating the computation theories behind the creation of the CPU using the 1, 0 algorithm.

1951: Sergel Alexseyevich Lebrev independently designed the first electronic computer, MESM. The MESM was a very large system with over six thousand tubes and could perform approximately three thousand operations per minute.

1954: John W. Backus developed FORTRAN, the first high-level syntax for computer programming. As the lead developer for IBM, by the 1970s FORTRAN was in all IBM computer models.

1958: Jack Kilby invented the Integrated Circuit (IC) which earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000.

1967: UNIX system is created at AT&T by Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson. UNIX was the main operating system that used in computers at the time. It enabled multiple programs within a computer to share information to multiple users.

1971: Intel engineer Ted Hoff and Stanley Mazon create the first single chip microprocessor. This invention revolutionized the future of the computer industry by allowing more information to be stored on a much smaller central processing unit (CPU). This enabled the creation of the personal computer for small businesses and homes.

1974: Micro Instrumental Telemetry Systems (MITS) creates, Altair, the first desktop system specifically designed for personal use. Upon release to the business market the demand was immediate.

1976: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created the Apple I, the first homemade microprocessor board. In 1997 Apple Computer Inc. was formed and from then on Apple was a leading competitor with IMB in the computer industry.

1980: The Apple III is released on the market.

1981: IBM introduces the IBM PC which became the industry standard for small and medium sized businesses. This was the first PC to carry a 16-bit microprocessor.

1989: Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Caillian invent the world wide web and send their first HTTP connection between client and server.

iTunes

What is iTunes?

iTunes is an application software for both Mac and PC. Using iTunes, users can not only play and organize music, but they can also synchronize contents across all kinds of devices, such as iPad or iPhone. Most importantly, iTunes connects users to its music store where they can purchase and watch videos and download entertainment products.

Origin of iTunes

A program called SoundJam MP is the predecessor to iTunes. It was developed by Casady & Greene and released on August 23, 1999. It was an excellent digital encoding program that looked similar to Apple’s QuickTime Player. Apple purchased the rights to SoundJam MP and hired its developers, Jeff Robbin, Bill Kincaid, and Dave Heller, to write iTunes.

History and features of iTunes: 1.0 to 10.

iTunes 1.0 (January 9, 2001): The first version of iTunes was released in free download.

iTunes 2.0 (October 23, 2001): Three important functions added: CD burning, equalizer, and cross fading. Amount of time needed to transfer music to other devices significantly reduced.

iTunes 3.0 (July 17, 2002): iTunes became compatible with Microsoft Windows.

iTunes 4.0 (April 28, 2003): iTunes music store added.

iTunes 5.0 (September 7, 2005): A few minor changes, such as a new search bar.

iTunes 6.0 (October 12, 2005): Online gift options and customer reviews added. Most importantly, TV show downloads offered at as low as $1.99.

iTunes 7.0 (September 12, 2006): By changing interface and reorganizing functions, iTunes began to turn back into a music player.

iTunes 8.0 (September 8, 2008): Automatic intelligent playlist was added. Allowed users to automatically create playlists from songs in their music library.

iTunes 9.0 (September 9, 2009): Interface changed and improvement in speed. iTunes LP added, a special format for music content and contains more information, such as album covers or lyrics, about music downloaded than a normal music track.

iTunes 10.0 (September 1, 2010): iCloud introduced.

The History of Apple iPod

Since its first release on October 23, 2001, iPod has dominated the market for MP3 devices and over 350 million devices have been sold as of September, 2012. With iTunes, the iPod provides a friendly and easy interface for users.

The concept of the iPod was not introduced by Steve Jobs. Instead, Tony Fadell, a former engineer at Philips, developed most of the ideas for the iPod and attracted Steve Jobs’ interest. Jobs hired Padell and created a team that consisted of thirty employees. Interestingly enough, however, the name "iPod" was suggested by a freelance copywriter outside Apple, Vinnie Chieco. The prototype of the iPod looked similar to the door of spaceship in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey.” The word ‘pod’ was derived from a line in the movie “open the pod bay door, Hal.” Combined with ‘i,’ which has been used for all Apple products, one of the most recognizable product names on the market was created. Before iPod hit the market, there were many companies manufacturing MP3 devices, such as Diamond, Creative Labs, and Sony. None of them, however, were as successful as Apple. This was partly due to the lack of capacity (only 32MB at the very beginning) in devices and high prices. The first generation of iPods were introduced on October 23, 2001. They consisted of a scroll wheel, five buttons (each for four directions and the center one), and a LCD screen. Despite its creative features, problems such as the lack of capacity had not yet been overcome. However, a program in partnership with iPod called iTunes successfully appealed to users through a user-friendly interface and iPod turned out to be one of the greatest products in 21st century. Currently, technology has solved the capacity problem but kept the prices low. Now, the success of iPod has transferred to iPhone with more diverse functions for users.

Timeline of Music Devices and iPods

1811: The first music box invented in Switzerland.

1857: Phonautograph invented by Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville.

1876: The first piano player invented in Philadelphia.

1877: Phonograph invented by Thomas Edison.

1920: World’s first commercial radio station created.

1964: 8-track player invented.

1971: Cassette invented.

1976: Boom box introduced, a mixture of home stereos, radios, and cassette players and known for being used for disco.

1979: Walkman invented by Sony.

1982: Sony and Philips introduced compact disks.

1984: Discman introduced by Sony, a portable player for CD’s.

1989: The Fraunhofer Institute in Germany patents MP3 format.

1992: Mini disks introduced.

1998: World’s first commercial MP3 hardware named “MPMan” began to sell in South Korea.

2001: First generation iPod introduced by Apple.

2002: Second generation iPod introduced.

2003: Third generation iPod and iTunes music store introduced.

2004: iPod mini (in five colours) introduced.

2005: iPod shuffle introduced and iPod nano replaced iPod mini.

2007: iPhone introduced.

2010: New iPod touch introduced.

Global Popularity

Apple has successfully managed to monopolize the iPod through its popularization in consumer culture, which includes advertising campaigns such as the iconic dancing silhouettes placed on neon backgrounds. By creating an anonymous user and avoiding putting their consumers into predetermined stereotypes, Apple’s iPod has become desired globally and is seen by many as a necessity.

Conclusion

The iPod has not only re-shaped how the world listens to music, but where they listen to music. Many forms of technology have influenced the development of the iPod, most notably the development of Apple’s iTunes paved the way for the iPod to be a globally desired product. While Apple is an American company it is evident that from the many components of the iPod that it has many global influences, while at the same time the iPod has influenced the world through becoming a desirable and almost essential product.