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Apple debuts the first version of its iTunes music player, originally based on SoundJam MP, a third-party music player for Mac OS.
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Apple releases its first iPod. Available in 5 and 10 GB models, it connects only via FireWire and is not compatible with Windows. Its wheel is not touch-sensitive and actually moves as you scroll.
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With the release of the second iPod comes the advent of the touch sensitive wheel. The iPod still connects only via FireWire, though Windows compatibility is now supported via Musicmatch.
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With the release of iTunes version 4 comes the introduction of the iTunes Store (then called the Music Store).
The third iteration of the iPod is also released. It features Play/Pause, Forward, Backward, and Menu buttons placed above the scroll wheel and introduces the now-standard dock connector (previous versions actually had a FireWire port on them). -
iTunes 4.1 is released, and is the first version of iTunes to feature support for Windows. Windows users no longer need Musicmatch to use their iPods. The iPod is on its way to cross-platform dominance.
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The iPod Mini introduces the click wheel, with the Play/Pause, Forward, Backward, and Menu buttons integrated into the scroll wheel. It is also the first iPod to come in colors other than white.
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The release of the iPod Photo brings color screens to the iPod. With the exception of the second-generation Mini and the screen-less Shuffle, every subsequent iPod is released with a color screen.
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The iPod Shuffle, originally available in 512 MB and 1 GB models, is the first iPod to use flash memory (as opposed to a hard drive) and the first without a screen. The Shuffle is also the first USB-only iPod, and from here Apple would begin phasing out Firewire support for iPods.
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Apple releases the first iPod Nano, rebranding the Mini with a hip new name. The Nano features a color screen and follows the Shuffle's example by implementing flash memory.
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The release of the fifth iteration of the iPod Classic (though Apple wasn't calling them that yet) brings video playback to iPods.
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Though not technically an iPod, the iPhone is significant enough, and for obvious enough reasons, that we included it anyway. In addition to being a game-changing device in general, the iPhone paves the way for the iPod touch, released shortly thereafter.
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The iPhone gets a little brother in the iPod Touch. The Touch is the first iPod to feature a touch screen and Wi-Fi capability. It offers free access to Safari, YouTube and the iTunes Store, but users have to pay a fee to access the App Store (free App Store access would come with later versions).
Apple also releases the sixth version of the standard iPod, and the first to be called "iPod Classic." -
The fifth-generation iPod Nano is released and features a slew of fancy new features including a video camera, an external speaker, an FM radio, and a pedometer. Many of these features are gone by the time the next generation is released in 2010.
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The sixth-generation iPod Nano is released and introduces touch screen capability to the Nano line.
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The 4th Generation iPod Touch is released, and is the most recent addition to the iPod family.
