Apple marks 25 years since first iPod launch

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 12:44 · Archive

Apple today marks 25 years since Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPod on October 23, 2001.

Apple today marks 25 years since Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPod at a press event at the company's Infinite Loop headquarters in Cupertino, California on October 23, 2001. The device was advertised as offering '1,000 songs in your pocket' and featured a 5GB hard drive, a monochrome LCD display, a mechanical scroll wheel and up to ten hours of battery life. The original model cost $399 in the US and £349 in the UK, though it required a Mac with iTunes and used a FireWire connection to transfer music and charge the battery.

The announcement received mixed reactions. Some observers at the time questioned the device's price, Mac-only compatibility and significance. One early commenter described it as 'far from revolutionary', while others were similarly sceptical about its prospects. MP3 players had existed for several years before the iPod arrived, but remained niche products and digital music had not yet reached mainstream adoption.

Despite the initial scepticism, the iPod went on to become one of Apple's most significant products and a major contributor to the company's expansion beyond the Mac. The device went on sale on November 10, 2001.

How it is being reported

• Apple unveiled the first iPod today in 2001 — here's how the world reactedThe iPod's place in gadget history is now well established, but not everyone saw its potential to begin with.TechRadar · 23 Oct, 12:22
• Happy 25th Anniversary, iPodApple today marks 25 years since the introduction of the original iPod, one of the company's most significant products and a major contributor to its expansion beyond the Mac. Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPod on October 23, 2001, at a small press event in the Town Hall auditorium at Apple's Infinite Loop headquarters. Advertised as offering "1,000 songs in your pocket," the device combined a 5GB hard drive with a monochrome LCD display, a mechanical scroll wheel, and up to 10 hours of battery life. The original model cost $399 and required a Mac with iTunes. Its FireWire connection…MacRumors · 23 Oct, 08:00

In this story: Apple · Steve Jobs · Cupertino

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