The history of the iPod: from 1,000 songs to the iPhone era
Apple introduced the first iPod on October 23, 2001. It stored 5GB, or about 1,000 songs by Apple's pitch, used a mechanical scroll wheel and connected through FireWire. It cost $399 and worked only with Macs at first.
Sales grew slowly until Apple widened the audience. A second generation worked with Windows, and the iTunes Store, opened in April 2003, offered legally licensed downloads at 99 cents a track. Together, hardware, software and store formed the model Apple would later repeat with other products.
The line then diversified. The iPod mini, a smaller aluminum player, arrived in 2004. The iPod shuffle, a screenless flash player, and the iPod nano followed in 2005.