iPod Timeline
In one of the first virtual books that iLounge posted, they had a timeline of all the dates where different iPods were introduced. But then they didn't update it. So I took what they had, plus what I found elsewhere and updated it, current up to the satanic-colored 5G U2 edition iPod introduced Tuesday. I'm trying to analyze the past history to guess when Apple will come out with a new iPod since I will be in the market soon. Looks like I need to wait until September or October.
The price premium for owning an iPod vs. rival MP3 players nearly disappeared in 2006. When I bought the $279 20 GB Archos, all Apple had was a 5 GB 1st genereration iPod which was $399 and it only worked with Macs. Two months after I got the Archos, Apple introduced the 10 GB iPod for $499. Still, I had twice the capacity (but none of the cool) for about half the price.
| 2001 | |
| 1-9-01 | iTunes available for Macs |
| 10-23-01 | 1G iPod has moving scroll wheel, 5 GB $399 |
| 2002 | |
| 1-18-02 | Ted gets 20GB Archos $279 |
| 3-20-02 | 10 GB $499 |
| 7-17-02 | 2G iPod has touch-sensitive scroll wheel: 5GB $299, 10 GB $399, 20 GB, $499. PC versions available. |
| 2003 | |
| 4-28-03 | 3G iPod moves button to a row above the wheel: 10 GB $299, 15 GB $399, 30 GB $499. PC or Mac compatible. iTunes music store debuts, but for Mac only. |
| 9-8-03 | 20 GB $399, 40 GB $499 |
| 10-16-03 | iTunes for PC's |
| 11-12-03 | Ted gets 3G 20GB |
| 12-25-03 | Ted lends Archos to Danny |
| 2004 | |
| 1-6-04 | iPod Mini 4GB $249 (in silver, blue, green, pink, or gold); iPod 3G 15GB $299 |
| 7-19-04 | 4G iPod has buttons incorporated into scroll wheel: 20 GB $299, 40 GB $399 |
| 8-27-04 | HP iPods |
| 10-28-04 | iPod Photo with color screen 40 GB $499, 60 GB $599; U2 iPod 20 GB $349 |
| 2005 | |
| 1-11-05 | Shuffle 512MB $99, 1GB $149 |
| 1-12-05 | Nicole gets U2 edition iPod |
| 2-3-05 | Eric gets 4G 20 GB |
| 2-23-05 | 2G mini 4GB $199, 6GB $249 (silver, blue, green, or pink); 30 GB iPod Photo $349, 60 GB $449, discontinue 40GB photo |
| 6-28-05 | Monochrome 4Gs discontinued, color 20GB $299, 60GB $399; U2 iPod color $329; 1GB shuffle $129 |
| 7-26-05 | Danny gets 1 GB shuffle |
| 9-7-05 | Nano 2GB $199, 4GB $249 (both in black or white); mini discontinued |
| 10-12-05 | 5G video iPod 30GB $299, 60GB $399 (in black or white) |
| 2006 | |
| 2-7-06 | 1GB nano $149; Shuffle 512MB $69, 1GB $99 |
| 6-1-06 | Kelly gets black 1GB nano |
| 6-6-06 | U2 edition 30 GB 5G $329 |
| 6-8-06 | Jeb inherits Archos from Danny |
| 9-12-06 | 2G shuffle 1GB $79; 2G nano 2GB $149 (silver only), 4GB $199 (green, blue silver, or pink), 8GB $249 (black only); 5.5G iPod 30GB $249, 80GB $349 gets larger, brighter screen |
| 10-13-06 | 4 GB nano available in red |
| 11-3-06 | 8 GB nano available in red |
| 11-6-06 | Claire gets blue 4GB nano; Jeb inherits Claire's shuffle |
| 12-25-06 | Jeb gets black 80 GB iPod; David gets silver nano |
| 2007 | |
| 1-30-07 | Shuffle gets colors: pink, green, blue, and orange in addition to silver |
| 6-29-07 | iPhone introduced with AT&T cellular service only: widescreen, Mac OSX 4GB $499, 8GB $599. |
| 9-5-07 | Shuffle gets different colors: cranberry, purple, light green, light blue, silver, and red. 3G nano is wider with larger screen, video; 4GB $149 (silver only), 8GB $199 (black, red, silver, light blue, light green). iPod Classic replaces 5.5G, metal case, 80 GB $249, 160 GB $349. iPod Touch widescreen, wifi, Mac OSX, 8GB $299, 16GB $399. iPhone 8GB $399. |
| 9-5-07 | Ted gets black 8 GB 3G nano. |
| 11-24-07 | Susan gets blue Shuffle. |
| 12-25-07 | Danny gets black 8 GB 3G nano. |
| 2008 | |
| 1-22-08 | 8GB 3G nano available in pink |
| 2-5-08 | 32 GB iPod Touch, $499; 16 GB iPhone, $499 |
| 2-19-08 | Shuffle 1 GB $49, 2 GB $69 |
| 2-20-08 | Nicole gets red 1 GB Shuffle and inherits Jeb's 80 GB 5.5G |
| 5-25-08 | Jeb gets red 8 GB 3G nano |
| 7-11-08 | 3G iPhone supports 3G data network, adds GPS, 8 GB $199, 16 GB $299, in black or white |
| 8-28-08 | Kelly gets green 8 GB 3G nano |
| 9-9-08 | Shuffle colors revert to silver, blue, green, red, pink. 2G iPod Classic 120 GB $249. 4G nano skinny again with rounded front, can be watched sideways, 8 GB $149 or 16 GB $199 with new colors: silver, black, purple, blue, lime green, yellow, orange, red, pink. 2G Touch has same form as 3G iPhone: 8 GB $229, 16 GB $299, and 32 GB $399. |
| 9-11-08 | Ted gets red 16 GB 4G nano; lends 3G nano to Mom |
| 12-12-08 | Ted wins light blue 8 GB 3G nano, gives it to Jami |
| 2009 | |
| 3-11-09 | 3G shuffle, 4GB $79, in silver or black. Smaller and no buttons (controls moved to heaphone cable). Voiceover navigation speaks song titles to you. |
| 6-19-09 | iPhone 3GS, 16 GB $199, 32 GB $299 in black or white. Adds digital compass, video camera. iPhone 3.0 software. |
| 8-7-09 | Jeb gets 32 GB 2G iPod Touch |
| 9-9-09 | 5G nano gets video camera, microphone, speaker, FM radio, taller screen (2.2 in). Same colors but now shiny instead of flat, 8 GB $149, 16 GB $179. Classic now 160 GB, $249. Shuffle gets colors: pink, green, and blue in addition to black and silver, 2 GB $59, 4 GB $79 (polished stainless steel version $99). 3G iPod touch higher end models get faster processor, 8 GB $199, 32 GB $299, 64 GB $399. |
| 2010 | |
| 4-3-10 | iPad has 9.7-inch 1024x768 touch screen 16 GB $499, 32 GB $599, 64GB $699 for wi-fi only versions. |
| 4-30-10 | iPad with 3G cellular 16GB $629, 32 GB $729, and 64 GB $829. |
| 6-24-10 | iPhone 4 has flat glass back, 5 megapixel camera with LED "flash," front-facing camera (640x480) for video calls, a gyroscope for better motion detection, and a higher resolution screen (960x640), in black only, 16GB $199 or 32GB $299. |
| 9-1-10 | 4G Shuffle returns to 2G form, 5 colors, 2GB $49. 6G nano now just a squarish touchscreen. Loses camera. 8GB $149, 16GB $179. 4G Touch gets high resolution screen (960x640), gyro, front and rear facing lo-res cameras, but maintains curved aluminum back, 8GB $229, 32GB $299, 64GB $399. |
| 9-3-10 | Ted gets 64GB 4G iPod Touch |
| 9-25-10 | Danny gets 32GB 4G iPod Touch |
| 11-12-10 | Kathy gets blue 16GB 6G nano |
| 2011 | |
| 2-7-11 | Claire gets 32 GB 4G iPod Touch |
| 2-10-11 | 4G iPhone now available on Verizon network (hardware is slightly different) |
| 3-11-11 | iPad 2 is thinner, faster with front and rear facing cameras, gyroscope, and HDMI video out. Available in black or white: 16 GB $499, 32 GB $599, 64GB $699 (with 3G wireless: 16 GB $629, 32 GB $729, 64 GB $829). iOS 4.3. |
| 4-6-11 | Danny gets iPhone 4 |
| 4-28-11 | iPhone 4 available in white |
| 8-15-11 | Kathy gets iPhone 4 |
| 10-9-11 | Jeb gets 64GB iPad2 with 3G |
| 10-12-11 | New software interface for nano, 8 GB $129, 16 GB $149. iPod Touch available in white, 8 GB version $199. iOS 5 released. |
| 10-14-11 | iPhone 4S has faster processor, 1080p video camera, doesn't need separate Verizon version. 16 GB $199, 32 GB $299, 64 GB $399. |
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Comments (4)
What was the point of all those HPpods?
Posted by Eric | June 18, 2006 1:37 PM
I think HP had access to certain stores that didn't carry Apple products. Other than that, I don't know what they were thinking.
Posted by UT | June 18, 2006 6:20 PM
I've had a 5.5G 80GB black for about a year now, I believe.
Posted by Eric | May 29, 2008 3:50 PM
Kathy just loves her blue 6G nano. Hooks it to a pal and it travels around the house. Also uses it on her walks and runs. (Training for Peachtree.)
Posted by Jeb | December 21, 2010 8:28 PM