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The first MP3 player was released, designed as a personal music player that could hold up to eight songs, priced at $200. -
Apple released the first iPod, which quickly became the most popular type of MP3 player. It was portable, about the size of a deck of cards, and weighed 6.5 ounces. -
Apple launched the second-generation iPod, allowing Windows PC users to utilize the device with MusicMatch Jukebox software. This model could store between 1,000 to 4,000 songs, depending on its storage capacity. -
The iTunes Store was launched, beneficial for MP3 players by enabling users to sync music directly to their devices instead of having to download each file individually. -
Flash-based MP3 players were gaining popularity from brands including Creative, SanDisk, and Samsung as they offered more portability and reliability compared to the hard-drive-based players. -
Microsoft Zune launched. It is a media player that includes wireless sharing and a 30 GB hard drive. However, it did face the competition with the iPod. -
Apple introduced the iPod Touch, which functioned similarly to a standard iPod but featured additional capabilities, including games, a digital camera, a web browser, and messaging. By 2013, approximately 100 million units had been sold. -
Apple released the iPod touch 2nd gen it was a multi-touch mobile device with a touchscreen-based user interface. This iPod generation 2 was created with gigabytes ranging from 10 to 20, when the 1st gen only had 5 so the 2nd gen could store more. -
MP3 players began to decline because they were facing a decline in sales because the smartphone became the new popular of this beginning era. The smartphone offered music streaming and more downloading capabilities alongside the other features.