The iPod Music Player - Essay Example

The very first iPod was introduced to the market as a player with a 5GB storage capacity capable of storing one thousand songs. This product got feedback from consumers, though a number of them complained of an exorbitant price of $400. Because the first versions of the iPod proved fruitful in penetrating the music player industry, another hardware upgrade came in 2003, catapulting iPod into the third generation. This advanced hardware upgrade did not have mechanical dials. The function buttons were placed under the screen and resembled a scroll wheel. Their storage was enhanced from the previous 10GB to 40 GB.

            To remain competitive in the music player industry, apple introduced the iPod mini in 2004. Unlike the original iPod, this version had five different colors: green, gold, silver, pink and blue. The iPod mini had smaller screens and enhanced storage than any other music player then. In February 2005, a new version of the iPod was introduced with an improved chipset, longer battery life, and even more enhanced storage capacity.

            The collaboration between Apple and HP in 2004 helped Apple to explore new markets that previously never stocked Apple’s products. In 2005, Apple introduced the iPod photo. This was similar to the iPod but was capable of browsing photo albums and had improved battery life. This made it a hit among music player enthusiasts, with most music players in the same price range providing half its storage capacity. This made Apple’s profits quadruple in 2005 as a result of sales of iPods. The iPod was followed by the introduction of the Nano. This version was made available in two variants, the 2GB and 4GB music players. The Nano made use of an improved scroll wheel from apple and was significantly smaller. Not long after the launch of the Nano, Apple released the fifth generation of its music players. These could play both video and audio music files, and their launch was instrumental in the creation of the iTunes music store. The fifth generation of iPods is available in three variations, 30GB, 60GB, and the 80GB.