There is hardly a day that goes by without playing music from our devices. Whether you are listening to soothing study songs or getting your team pumped up for a big game, music has become an essential part of the daily routine for the majority of people in the twenty-first century. Since the Information Age surged with innovation beginning in the 1970s, technology has made incredible progress, especially in the aspects of widespread public access and convenience. The so-called "Information Age" earned its title when many start-up companies, like Apple, produced products that gained the attention of a generation that aspired for advancement. When Apple came out with the first iPod, the growth of technology never halted, and its impact is obvious as seen through our reliance on access to both information and music, at the click of a button.
What started as an idea for an MP3 player that could be easily transported and personal became later became the iPod we know today. When Apple began developing the technology, the company, like many others in Silicone Valley, valued secrecy around the revolutionary product. Since very few people besides the iPod's creators knew about the device and its functions there is not too much information on how the idea of a handheld MP3 developed into the first generation iPod that hit the market in 2001, but the up-and-coming, competitive company wanted to top their last product: the Macintosh computer. The design of the iPod was very small compared to popular tech devices at the time, but its design was very complex. The iPod incorporated several different aspects of other devices to work on such a small scale, so Apple had to work with other companies to develop certain parts. A new hard drive, processor, and batteries were just some of the parts that Apple had to rethink for the product to be successful.
📱(Check out this video for a great look into Apple's developments! 📱
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUDo2Ugw1n8)
As the video above explains, Apple wanted to project the iPod into the market in 2001 because of how big of a gap there was in personal, portable technology. Not only did they grow tremendously in popularity among the public, but their company was now significantly ahead of other competitors. One of the most impressive features of the first generation iPod which set Apple apart from the rest was its large storage capabilities of 1,000 songs for the small size of the device considering the technology at the time.
One of the most important things to ponder when looking into the history of such a historical device is how the first iPod gave the technology industry so much momentum to improve. Though its technology at that time was impressive, it may be even more so when you look at how much change the device inspired. That one device in 2001 has led to the mindset we have in today's society that there is always a need for innovation and improvement. After the first iPod, Apple didn't just settle with making minor fixes to the product which was already generating hundreds of dollars in revenue with each purchase, but they focused on making larger strides of improvement with each new generation of the device that Apple released. Apple didn't continue to promote the iPod as it was, but they added more gigabytes of storage while making the device more compact, a longer battery life, and several other functions. Even with all of these advancements, Apple did not stop. After several different versions of the first iPod with minor improvements, they completely redesigned the product to look more appealing, contain more functions, and draw the attention of even more consumers. It is evident that since the beginning of their company and especially the release of the first iPod in 2001, that Apple's mission is for improvement. So even though the iPod may not be the most life-changing invention in-of itself, I believe that its invention has sparked so much of the competitive mindset our world of technology has today. The iPod propelled the use of smartphones as we know them, which can be seen in so many industries. Everyone wants innovation, no matter what the subject is, and Apple has been a power player in people's drive for newer and better technology.
📍Looking further 📍
Here are some helpful links if you are interested in looking further into the first iPod:
- https://itstillworks.com/ipod-made-1848.html
- https://www.macworld.com/article/1163181/the-birth-of-the-ipod.html
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