We're celebrating another major milestone in Apple history: the 20th anniversary of the announcement of the iPod. We cover its incredibly rapid development, its worldwide popularity, and the fact that we still carry widescreen iPods with touch controls today.

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Development

• The History of iTunes, part 1 and part 2


• development timeline tweet


• Tony Fadell interview at Computer History Museum


• physical design
  
  
  • styrofoam model
  
  
  • BeoCom 6000 phone
  
  
  • Braun T3 pocket radio
  
  
  
  


• technology
  
  
  • Toshiba 1.8" hard drives
  
  
  • FireWire
  
  
  • the "digital hub"
  
  
  • Pixo operating system
  
  
  
  


• the name
  
  
  • Vinnie Chieco
  
  
  • Wikipedia articles with lowercase first letter
  
  
  
  

Launch

• Town Hall event


• 1,000 songs in your pocket


• “No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.”

Legacy

• multiple generations


• modding: r/iPod, DankPods


• iPod nano reveal


• the dock connector will not die


• iPod touch
  
  
  • upgrade fees
  
  
  • 1st generation ad remastered from Nick Haley's original version
  
  
  
  


• "iPod's Dirty Secret"


• a widescreen iPod with touch controls


• iPod phone prototype


• Apple's favorite musicians: The Beatles, U2


• Primephonic acquisition