20 years ago Apple announced the upcoming release of one of its most iconic products: the iPod.
The company unveiled the first version of its handheld music player to the world on Oct. 23, 2001, and it went on sale the following month. With the slogan "1,000 songs in your pocket," the first-generation iPod was quick to capture the public's attention and was the companion to the newly unveiled iTunes, the digital music software that ushered in a new era of how people listen to music. Apple went on to sell more than 400 million iPods.
When Steve Jobs rejoined Apple in 1997 after a 12-year absence, the company was on the verge of losing it all, but the iPod was one of the products that turned things around.
Like other Apple products, it looked cool. But it wasn't just the player that was so revolutionary — it was the software. The iPod combined with the iTunes software created the first complete Web-connected portable music system.
iTunes offered access to music from the major record labels. Up until that time, no company had succeeded in getting them to come together and be part of an online music site.
The iPod wasn't the first player to offer music on the go — remember the Walkman? And it wasn't the first portable MP3 player. But its impact is undeniable.
From NPR
