The original Apple iPod changed how we carry music

The original Apple iPod was introduced on October 23, 2001, when Steve Jobs unveiled it as a breakthrough digital device. He teased it as something that was not a Mac, and it became a pocket-sized digital music player phenomenon. The key claim was that it could put your entire music library in your pocket for $399.

In 2001, Apple was already well on its way to reviving its fortunes, with iBooks and iMacs well established. Jobs predicted that the Mac could become the center of your digital lifestyle, and the iPod was part of that vision as a hub uniting digital cameras, digital camcorders, DVD players, and the portable music player. He saw that the hard disk-based jukebox player was the optimal choice for market entry.

After a long preamble, the iPod was introduced as an MP3 music player, offering CD-quality sound, capable of playing all the popular formats of the time (MP3, WAV, AIFF). Its 5GB capacity meant that it could hold 1,000 songs. Specifically, that meant 1,000 typical pop-song length MP3s at 160Kbps. ‘For most people it’s their entire music library,’ enthused Jobs.

The Apple CEO then sketched out three big claims that would make the iPod a winner. First, its ultra-portable form factor made it desirable. This aspect of the design was aided by Toshiba’s newest ultra-compact and ultra-thin hard drive at 1.8 inches in diameter and 0.2 inches thick. The actual device would be the size of a deck of cards, 2.4 x 4 x 0.78 inches, with a weight of 6.5 ounces, ‘lighter than most cell phones.’

Despite its compact size, the iPod offered advanced features like 20-minute skip protection, fast file transfers, and charging via a single FireWire 400 cable. The iPod was heralded as the ‘first and only music player with FireWire.’ The connection was fast enough to transfer an entire CD to the device ‘in five to 10 seconds,’ according to Jobs’ presentation. The USB connections of the same era would keep you waiting around five minutes for the same single CD of MP3s data transfer to complete, it was claimed. To fill the iPod (1,000 songs), it was estimated it would only take 10 minutes vs. five hours for a USB digital music player.

A rechargeable lithium-polymer battery in the first iPod offered 10 hours of continuous music playback. An empty battery could be recharged to 80% in one hour, Apple said.

Secondly, the iPod benefitted from ‘an amazing Apple design,’ with minimal and durable back and sides, noted Jobs. It was touted to offer ‘Apple’s legendary ease of use’ in a portable music player. Its specially designed controls were single-hand friendly, with an accelerated scroll wheel using a piezoelectric clicker for tactile feedback. It enabled the fast location and playback of music by playlist, artist, or song. Quiz fans, the first song demoed on stage was 'Building a Mystery' by Sarah MacLachlan.