iPod contact was as soon as the gateway to the iOS ecosystem

Only a few days in the past, I wrote an article asking why Apple continues to be promoting the iPod contact in 2022. Coincidentally or not, the corporate introduced on Tuesday that the iPod contact and the iPod model have reached the top of their lives. What’s attention-grabbing to consider is that, now out of date, the iPod contact was as soon as the gateway to the iOS ecosystem.

An iPhone with out the cellphone

The iPhone was actually revolutionary, and there have been many individuals involved in shopping for one. Nevertheless, because it was Apple’s first cellphone, the unique iPhone was solely accessible in six nations. And for $499 with a two-year contract, not everybody was capable of get their arms on the iPhone. Fortunately, Apple got here up with an answer.

The complete iPod lineup was nonetheless there for individuals who nonetheless most popular to have a devoted system to play songs on. And in September 2007, Steve Jobs introduced that Apple was bringing iPhone know-how to the iPod with the primary era iPod contact.

In contrast to the opposite iPods, which all had Click on Wheel and ran what Apple referred to as “iPod Software program,” the iPod contact was mainly an iPhone with out the cellphone. It had the identical 3.5-inch multi-touch show and the identical iPhone OS, though with some limitations in comparison with the iPhone. And for the reason that iPod contact had no cellphone, it was priced cheaper and was launched in lots of extra markets than the iPhone.

It sounded just like the recipe for a profitable product – and certainly it was. Right here in Brazil, Apple by no means launched the primary iPhone, and shopping for one in a foreign country was not an choice as a result of service lock-in. Nevertheless, due to the iPod contact, I and lots of different individuals have been capable of expertise a part of the iPhone.

A gateway to the iOS ecosystem

Don’t assume that Apple limiting options to dearer gadgets is one thing new. In reality, the corporate knew precisely what it was doing with the iPod contact. Though the system runs iPhone OS, among the options have been solely accessible to iPhone customers.

As an illustration, the primary iPod contact solely had the Safari, YouTube, Calendar, Contacts, Clock, Calculator, Music, Movies, Photographs, and iTunes Retailer apps. Utility apps like Shares, Climate, Notes, and Mail weren’t accessible on the iPod contact at first. This, after all, was a solution to persuade iPod customers to purchase an iPhone in some unspecified time in the future – nearly as if the iPod contact was a lite model of the iPhone.

Actually, that labored out very properly. The iPod contact had key options of the iPhone to persuade people who they wanted one. I keep in mind zooming in on a photograph with the “pinch” gesture, opening a webpage in Safari, or seeing the accelerometer in motion for the primary time on my iPod. At that second, I used to be certain I wished all of that on my cellphone.

A couple of months later, Apple launched a software program replace that enabled the lacking apps on the iPod contact, however it price $19.99. And for years to observe, Apple charged for iPod contact software program updates, whereas they have been free for iPhone customers.

A companion for the iPhone

Even after the iPhone grew to become extra common, individuals nonetheless purchased iPod contact as a companion system. Because it was cheaper, you would fill an iPod up with music and preserve your iPhone storage free for apps and photographs. (Do you know there was an iPhone with solely 4GB of storage?)

Months after Apple launched the iPhone 3G in June 2008, the corporate introduced the second-generation iPod contact. This time, apart from a brand new design, it had extra storage choices, a built-in speaker, Bluetooth assist, larger battery, and most significantly, the iPhone OS 2.0 pre-installed with the model new App Retailer.

Yearly when Apple introduced a brand new iPhone, a brand new iPod contact was introduced a couple of months later with comparable {hardware} and options. The third-generation iPod contact had the identical quicker CPU and GPU because the iPhone 3GS, whereas the fourth era introduced the Retina show, A4 chip, and the FaceTime cameras of the iPhone 4.

In any case, the iPod contact was nonetheless a solution to let individuals expertise the iPhone options for a decrease, extra inexpensive worth.

The top of an period

2011 was the primary 12 months that Apple didn’t introduce any new iPods. As a substitute, it solely introduced software program updates for the iPod contact and iPod nano. 2012 was the final time Apple launched a brand new iPod nano and iPod shuffle. The iPod contact had additionally been up to date for its fifth era, this time with an identical design to the iPhone 5, however with the A5 chip as a substitute of the A6.

However then issues began to get unhealthy for iPod followers. In 2014, Apple discontinued the iPod basic, the final mannequin with a Click on Wheel. A 12 months later, the sixth-generation iPod contact was quietly launched with the A8 chip, and that’s it. Then, in 2017, Apple formally stopped promoting iPod shuffle and iPod nano, as these fashions lack Apple Music assist.

2019 was the final time the corporate launched a brand new iPod. Nevertheless, the seventh-generation iPod was one other boring replace that had the A10 Fusion chip as the one change. Apart from that, the iPod nonetheless had the identical small 4-inch display because the iPhone 5 and a House button with out Contact ID.

Now the iPod has turn out to be irrelevant, maybe a results of the streaming period mixed with highly effective smartphones. I gained’t miss it, however I’ll undoubtedly all the time keep in mind what an essential product it was for Apple and for the entire trade.

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