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iPod
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iPod

The current iPod line. From left to right: iPod Shuffle, iPod
Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch.
Manufacturer Apple Inc.
Type Portable Media Player (PMP)
Over 240,000,000 worldwide as of January
Units sold
2010[citation needed]
CPU Samsung ARM
iTunes Store (iPod touch only)
Online services
App Store (iPod touch only)
The iPod is a portable media player designed and marketed by Apple and launched on October
23, 2001. The product line-up includes the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod
Touch, the video-capable iPod Nano, and the compact iPod Shuffle. The iPhone can function as
an iPod but is generally treated as a separate product. Former iPod models include the iPod Mini
and the spin-off iPod Photo (since reintegrated into the main iPod Classic line). iPod Classic
models store media on an internal hard drive, while all other models use flash memory to enable
their smaller size (the discontinued Mini used a Microdrive miniature hard drive). As with many
other digital music players, iPods can also serve as external data storage devices. Storage
capacity varies by model, ranging from 2GB for the iPod Shuffle to 160GB for the iPod Classic.
Apple's iTunes software can be used to transfer music to the devices from computers using
certain versions of Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating systems.[1] For users who
choose not to use Apple's software or whose computers cannot run iTunes software, several open
source alternatives to iTunes are also available.[2] iTunes and its alternatives may also transfer
photos, videos, games, contact information, e-mail settings, Web bookmarks, and calendars to
iPod models supporting those features.

Contents
[hide]
• 1 History and design
○ 1.1 Trademark
• 2 Software
○ 2.1 User interface
○ 2.2 iTunes Store
 2.2.1 Games
○ 2.3 File storage and transfer
• 3 Hardware
○ 3.1 Connectivity
○ 3.2 Accessories
○ 3.3 Audio performance
• 4 Models
• 5 Timeline of iPod models
• 6 Patent disputes
• 7 Sales
• 8 Industry impact
• 9 Criticism
○ 9.1 Battery problems
○ 9.2 Reliability and durability
○ 9.3 Allegations of worker exploitation
• 10 See also
• 11 References
• 12 External links

History and design

The iPod Classic 6G (left) and 5G (right) showing the updated album view
The iPod line came from Apple's "digital hub" category,[3] when the company began creating
software for the growing market of personal digital devices. Digital cameras, camcorders and
organizers had well-established mainstream markets, but the company found existing digital
music players "big and clunky or small and useless" with user interfaces that were "unbelievably
awful,"[3] so Apple decided to develop its own. As ordered by CEO Steve Jobs, Apple's hardware
engineering chief Jon Rubinstein assembled a team of engineers to design the iPod line,
including hardware engineers Tony Fadell and Michael Dhuey,[4] and design engineer Jonathan
Ive.[3] The product was developed in less than one year and unveiled on 23 October 2001. Jobs
announced it as a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive that put "1,000 songs in your
pocket."[5]
Apple did not develop the iPod software entirely in-house, instead using PortalPlayer's reference
platform based on two ARM cores. The platform had rudimentary software running on a
commercial microkernel embedded operating system. PortalPlayer had previously been working
on an IBM-branded MP3 player with Bluetooth headphones.[3] Apple contracted another
company, Pixo, to help design and implement the user interface under the direct supervision of
Steve Jobs.[3] As development progressed, Apple continued to refine the software's look and feel.
Starting with the iPod Mini, the Chicago font was replaced with Espy Sans. Later iPods switched
fonts again to Podium Sans—a font similar to Apple's corporate font, Myriad. iPods with color
displays then adopted some Mac OS X themes like Aqua progress bars, and brushed metal meant
to evoke a combination lock. In 2007, Apple modified the iPod interface again with the
introduction of the sixth-generation iPod Classic and third-generation iPod Nano by changing the
font to Helvetica and, in most cases, splitting the screen in half by displaying the menus on the
left and album artwork, photos, or videos on the right (whichever was appropriate for the
selected item).
In September 2007, during a lawsuit with patent holding company Burst.com, Apple drew
attention to a patent for a similar device that was developed in 1979. Kane Kramer patented the
idea of a "plastic music box" in 1979, which he called the IXI.[6] He was unable to secure funding
to renew the US$ 120,000 worldwide patent, so it lapsed and Kramer never profited from his
idea.[6]
Trademark
The name iPod was proposed by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter, who (with others) was
called by Apple to figure out how to introduce the new player to the public. After Chieco saw a
prototype, he thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the phrase "Open the pod bay
door, Hal!", which refers to the white EVA Pods of the Discovery One spaceship.[3] Apple
researched the trademark and found that it was already in use. Joseph N. Grasso of New Jersey
had originally listed an "iPod" trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in
July 2000 for Internet kiosks. The first iPod kiosks had been demonstrated to the public in New
Jersey in March 1998, and commercial use began in January 2000, but had apparently been
discontinued by 2001. The trademark was registered by the USPTO in November 2003, and
Grasso assigned it to Apple Computer, Inc. in 2005.[7]
Software
The iPod line can play several audio file formats including MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC,
AIFF, WAV, Audible audiobook, and Apple Lossless. The iPod Photo introduced the ability to
display JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG image file formats. Fifth and sixth generation iPod
Classics, as well as third generation iPod Nanos, can additionally play MPEG-4 (H.264/MPEG-4
AVC) and QuickTime video formats, with restrictions on video dimensions, encoding techniques
and data-rates.[8] Originally, iPod software only worked with Mac OS; iPod software for
Microsoft Windows was launched with the second generation model.[9] Unlike most other media
players, Apple does not support Microsoft's WMA audio format—but a converter for WMA files
without Digital Rights Management (DRM) is provided with the Windows version of iTunes.
MIDI files also cannot be played, but can be converted to audio files using the "Advanced" menu
in iTunes. Alternative open-source audio formats, such as Ogg Vorbis and FLAC, are not
supported without installing custom firmware onto an iPod (e.g. Rockbox).
During installation, an iPod is associated with one host computer. Each time an iPod connects to
its host computer, iTunes can synchronize entire music libraries or music playlists either
automatically or manually. Song ratings can be set on an iPod and synchronized later to the
iTunes library, and vice versa. A user can access, play, and add music on a second computer if an
iPod is set to manual and not automatic sync, but anything added or edited will be reversed upon
connecting and syncing with the main computer and its library. If a user wishes to automatically
sync music with another computer, an iPod's library will be entirely wiped and replaced with the
other computer's library.
User interface

The iPod line's signature click wheel

iPods with color displays use anti-aliased graphics and text, with sliding animations. All iPods
(except the current iPod Shuffle and iPod Touch) have five buttons and the later generations
have the buttons integrated into the click wheel—an innovation that gives an uncluttered,
minimalist interface. The buttons perform basic functions such as menu, play, pause, next track,
and previous track. Other operations, such as scrolling through menu items and controlling the
volume, are performed by using the click wheel in a rotational manner. The current iPod Shuffle
does not have any controls on the actual player; instead it has a small control on the earphone
cable, with volume-up and -down buttons and a single button for play and pause, next track, etc.
The iPod Touch has no click-wheel; instead it uses a 3.5" touch screen along with a home button,
sleep/wake button and (on the second and third generations of the iPod touch) volume-up and
-down buttons. The user interface for the iPod touch is almost identical to that of the iPhone.
Differances include a slightly different Icon theme and lack of the Phone application on the iPod
touch. Both devices use the iPhone OS.
iTunes Store
Main articles: iTunes and iTunes Store
The iTunes Store (introduced 29 April 2003) is an online media store run by Apple and accessed
through iTunes. Since no other portable player supports the DRM used, only iPods can play
protected content from the iTunes Store. The store became the market leader soon after its
launch[10] and Apple announced the sale of videos through the store on 12 October 2005. Full-
length movies became available on 12 September 2006.[11]
Purchased audio files use the AAC format with added encryption. The encryption is based on the
FairPlay DRM system. Up to five authorized computers and an unlimited number of iPods can
play the files. Burning the files onto an audio CD, then re-compressing can create music files
without the DRM, although this results in reduced quality[citation needed]. The DRM can also be
removed using third-party software. However, in a deal with Apple, EMI began selling DRM-
free, higher-quality songs on the iTunes Stores, in a category called "iTunes Plus." While
individual songs were made available at a cost of US$1.29, 30¢ more than the cost of a regular
DRM song, entire albums were available for the same price, US$9.99, as DRM encoded albums.
On 17 October 2007, Apple lowered the cost of individual iTunes Plus songs to US$0.99 per
song, the same as DRM encoded tracks. On January 6, 2009, Apple announced that DRM has
been removed from 80% of the music catalog, and that it would be removed from all music by
April 2009.
iPods cannot play music files from competing music stores that use rival-DRM technologies like
Microsoft's protected WMA or RealNetworks' Helix DRM. Example stores include Napster and
MSN Music. RealNetworks claims that Apple is creating problems for itself[12] by using FairPlay
to lock users into using the iTunes Store. Steve Jobs has stated that Apple makes little profit from
song sales, although Apple uses the store to promote iPod sales.[13] However, iPods can also play
music files from online stores that do not use DRM, such as eMusic or Amie Street.
Universal Music Group decided not to renew their contract with the iTunes Music Store on 3
July 2007. Universal will now supply iTunes in an 'at will' capacity.[14]
Apple debuted the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on 5 September 2007, in its Media Event entitled
"The Beat Goes On..." This service allows users to access the Music Store from either an iPhone
or an iPod Touch and download songs directly to the device that can be synced to the user's
iTunes Library over a WiFi connection, or, in the case of a iPhone, the telephone network.
Games
Main articles: iPod game and App Store
Video games are playable on various versions of iPods. The original iPod had the game Brick
(originally invented by Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak) included as an easter egg hidden
feature; later firmware versions added it as a menu option. Later revisions of the iPod added
three more games: Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz.
In September 2006 the iTunes Store began to offer additional games for purchase with the launch
of iTunes 7, compatible with the fifth generation iPod with iPod software 1.2 or later. Those
games were: Bejeweled, Cubis 2, Mahjong, Mini Golf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex,
Asphalt 4: Elite Racing and Zuma. Additional games have since been added. These games work
on current and immediate previous generation of the iPod Nano and iPod Classic.
With third parties like Namco, Square Enix, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Hudson Soft all making
games for the iPod, Apple's MP3 player has taken great steps towards entering the video game
handheld console market.[neutrality is disputed] Even video game magazines like GamePro and EGM
have reviewed and rated most of their games as of late.[15]
The games are in the form of .ipg files, which are actually .zip archives in disguise. When
unzipped, they reveal executable files along with common audio and image files, leading to the
possibility of third party games. Apple has not publicly released a software development kit
(SDK) for iPod-specific development.[16] Apps produced with the iPhone SDK are compatible
only with the iPhone OS on the iPod Touch and iPhone, which cannot run clickwheel-based
games.
File storage and transfer
All iPods except for the iPod Touch can function in "disk mode" as a mass storage devices to
store data files.[17] If an iPod is formatted on a Mac OS X computer, it uses the HFS+ file system
format, which allows it to serve as a boot disk for a Mac computer.[18] If it is formatted on
Windows, the FAT32 format is used. With the release of the Windows-compatible iPod, the
default file system used on the iPod line switched from HFS+ to FAT32, although it can be
reformatted to either file system (excluding the iPod Shuffle which is strictly FAT32). Generally,
if a new iPod (excluding the iPod Shuffle) is initially plugged into a computer running Windows,
it will be formatted with FAT32, and if initially plugged into a Mac running Mac OS X it will be
formatted with HFS+.[19]
Unlike many other MP3 players, simply copying audio or video files to the drive with a typical
file management application will not allow an iPod to properly access them. The user must use
software that has been specifically designed to transfer media files to iPods, so that the files are
playable and viewable. Usually iTunes is used to transfer media to an iPod, though several
alternative third-party applications are available on a number of different platforms.
iTunes 7 and above can transfer purchased media of the iTunes Store from an iPod to a
computer, provided that computer containing the DRM protected media is authorized to play it.
Media files are stored on an iPod in a hidden folder, along with a proprietary database file. The
hidden content can be accessed on the host operating system by enabling hidden files to be
shown. The media files can then be recovered manually by copying the files or folders off the
iPod. Many third-party applications also allow easy copying of media files off of an iPod.
Hardware
Chipsets and Electronics
Chipset or
Product(s) Component(s)
Electronic
 iPod Classic first to third
generations
iPod Classic fourth and fifth
generations, iPod Mini, iPod
Nano first generation
Microcontroller
iPod Nano second generation
iPod Shuffle first generation
All iPods (except the iPod
Shuffle, 6G Classic and 2G
Audio Chip
Touch) [23]
Sixth generation iPod Classic
iPod Classic
Storage Medium iPod Mini
iPod Nano
iPod shuffle and Touch
iPod Classic first and second
generation, Shuffle
Batteries
iPod Classic 3G onward, iPod
Mini, iPod Nano, iPod Touch,
iPod nano
Display
iPod classic
iPod touch
Connectivity
See also: iPod dock connector
Two ARM 7TDMI-derived CPUs running at
90 MHz
Variable-speed ARM 7TDMI CPUs, running
at a peak of 80 MHz to save battery life
Samsung System-on-a-chip, based around an
ARM processor.[20][21]
SigmaTel STMP3550 chip that handles both
the music decoding and the audio circuitry.
[22]
Audio Codecs developed by Wolfson
Microelectronics
Cirrus Logic Audio Codec Chip
45.7 mm (1.8 in) hard drives (ATA-6,
4200 rpm with proprietary connectors) made
by Toshiba
25.4 mm (1 in) Microdrive by Hitachi and
Seagate
Flash Memory from Samsung, Toshiba, and
others
Flash Memory
Internal Lithium Polymer Batteries
Internal Lithium-Ion Batteries
2.2-inch (diagonal) color LCD with blue-
white LED backlight, 240x376 resolution at
204 pixels per inch[24]
2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED
backlight, 320x240 resolution at 163 pixels
per inch[25]
3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch,
480x320 resolution at 163 pixels per inch[26]
Four iPod wall chargers for North America, all made by Apple. These have FireWire (left) and
USB (right three) connectors, which allow iPods to charge without a computer. Notice how the
units have been miniaturized, although those for other countries are often larger.
Originally, a FireWire connection to the host computer was used to update songs or recharge the
battery. The battery could also be charged with a power adapter that was included with the first
four generations. The third generation began including a 30-pin dock connector, allowing for
FireWire or USB connectivity. This provided better compatibility with non-Apple machines, as
most of them did not have FireWire ports at the time. Eventually Apple began shipping iPods
with USB cables instead of FireWire, although the latter was available separately. As of the first
generation iPod Nano and the fifth generation iPod Classic, Apple discontinued using FireWire
for data transfer (while still allowing for use of FireWire to charge the device) in an attempt to
reduce cost and form factor. As of the second-generation iPod Touch and the fourth-generation
iPod Nano, FireWire charging ability has been removed. The second and third generation iPod
Shuffle uses a single 3.5 mm jack which acts as both a headphone jack and a data port for the
dock.
The dock connector also allowed the iPod to connect to accessories, which often supplement the
iPod's music, video, and photo playback. Apple sells a few accessories, such as the now-
discontinued iPod Hi-Fi, but most are manufactured by third parties such as Belkin and Griffin.
Some peripherals use their own interface, while others use the iPod's own screen. Because the
dock connector is a proprietary interface, the implementation of the interface requires paying
royalties to Apple.[27]
Accessories

The "Made for iPod" logo found on most classic iPod accessories
Many accessories have been made for the iPod line. A large number are made by third party
companies, although many, such as the late iPod Hi-Fi, are made by Apple. Some accessories
add extra features that other music players have, such as sound recorders, FM radio tuners, wired
remote controls, and audio/visual cables for TV connections. Other accessories offer unique
features like the Nike+iPod pedometer and the iPod Camera Connector. Other notable
accessories include external speakers, wireless remote controls, protective case, screen films, and
wireless earphones.[28] Among the first accessory manufacturers were Griffin Technology,
Belkin, JBL, Bose, Monster Cable, and SendStation.
Two designs of iPod earphones. The current version is shown on the right.
BMW released the first iPod automobile interface,[29] allowing drivers of newer BMW vehicles
to control an iPod using either the built-in steering wheel controls or the radio head-unit buttons.
Apple announced in 2005 that similar systems would be available for other vehicle brands,
including Mercedes-Benz,[30] Volvo,[31] Nissan, Toyota,[32] Alfa Romeo, Ferrari,[33] Acura, Audi,
Honda,[34] Renault, Infiniti[35] and Volkswagen.[36] Scion offers standard iPod connectivity on all
their cars.
Some independent stereo manufacturers including JVC, Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, Sony, and
Harman Kardon also have iPod-specific integration solutions. Alternative connection methods
include adaptor kits (that use the cassette deck or the CD changer port), audio input jacks, and
FM transmitters such as the iTrip—although personal FM transmitters are illegal in some
countries. Many car manufacturers have added audio input jacks as standard.[37]
Beginning in mid-2007, four major airlines, United, Continental, Delta, and Emirates, reached
agreements to install iPod seat connections. The free service will allow passengers to power and
charge an iPod, and view video and music libraries on individual seat-back displays.[38]
Originally KLM and Air France were reported to be part of the deal with Apple, but they later
released statements explaining that they were only contemplating the possibility of incorporating
such systems.[39]
Audio performance
The third generation iPod had a weak bass response, as shown in audio tests.[40][41] The
combination of the undersized DC-blocking capacitors and the typical low-impedance of most
consumer headphones form a high-pass filter, which attenuates the low-frequency bass output.
Similar capacitors were used in the fourth generation iPods.[42] The problem is reduced when
using high-impedance headphones and is completely masked when driving high-impedance (line
level) loads, such as an external headphone amplifier. The first generation iPod Shuffle uses a
dual-transistor output stage,[40] rather than a single capacitor-coupled output, and does not exhibit
reduced bass response for any load.
From the 5th generation iPod on, Apple introduced a user-configurable volume limit in response
to concerns about hearing loss.[43] Users report that in the 6th generation iPod, the maximum
volume output level is limited to 100 dB in EU markets. Apple previously had to remove iPods
from shelves in France for exceeding this legal limit.[44]
Models
Main article: List of iPod models
Original Minimu
Generati Capacit Connecti
Model Image release m OS to Rated battery life (hours)
on y on
date sync
Classi 23
5, Mac: 9, 10
c FireWire October .1 audio: 10
10 GB
first 2001
First model, with mechanical scroll wheel. 10 GB model released
later.
10, 17 July Mac: 10.1
FireWire Win: 2000 audio: 10
20 GB 2002
second
Touch-sensitive wheel. FireWire port had a cover. Hold switch
revised. Windows compatibility through Musicmatch.
10, 15, FireWire
28 April Mac: 10.1
20, 30, (USB for
Win: 2000 audio: 8
syncing 2003
40 GB only)
third
First complete redesign with all-touch interface, dock connector,
and slimmer case. Musicmatch support dropped with later release of
iTunes 4.1 for Windows.
20, FireWire 19 July Mac: 10.2
40 GB or USB 2004 Win: 2000 audio: 12

Adopted Click Wheel from iPod Mini, hold switch redesigned.

fourth photo: 26
(Photo) 30, 40, October
(Color) 60 GB FireWire 2004 Mac: 10.2 audio: 15
color: or USB Win: 2000 slideshow: 5
28 June
20,
2005
60 GB
Premium spin-off of 4G iPod with color screen and picture viewing.
Later re-integrated into main iPod line.
USB 30 GB 60/80 GB
12
30, 60, (FireWire Mac: 10.3 audio: 14 audio: 20
October Win: 2000
80 GB for charging video: 2 video: 3/6
only) 2005
(later 3.5) .5
fifth
Second full redesign with a slimmer case, and larger screen with
video playback. Offered in black or white. Hardware and firmware
updated with 60 GB model replaced with 80 GB model on 12
September 2006.
sixth 160 GB
2007 model
USB 80 GB 120 GB
5 audio: 40
80, 120, (FireWire Mac: 10.4 audio: 3 audio: 3
Septemb Win: XP 0 video: 7
160 GB for charging 6 2009 model
only) er 2007
video: 5 video: 6 audio: 36
video: 6
Introduced the "Classic" suffix. New interface and anodized
aluminum front plate. Silver replaces white. In September 2008 the
hardware and firmware was updated with a 120 GB model replacing
 the 80 GB model and the 160 GB model was discontinued. In
September 2009 the 120GB model was replaced with a 160GB
model.
6
USB or Mac: 10.1
4 GB January Win: 2000 audio: 8
FireWire
first 2004
New smaller model, available in 5 colors. Introduced the "Click
Wheel".
Mini 22
USB or Mac: 10.2
4, 6 GB February Win: 2000 audio: 18
FireWire
2005
second
Brighter color variants with longer battery life. Click Wheel
lettering matched body color. Gold color discontinued. Later
replaced by iPod Nano.
USB 7
1, 2, (FireWire Mac: 10.3 audio: 14
Septemb Win: 2000
4 GB for charging slideshow: 4
first only) er 2005
Replaced Mini. Available in black or white and used flash memory.
Color screen for picture viewing. 1 GB version released later.
USB 12
2, 4, (FireWire Mac: 10.3 audio: 24
Septemb Win: 2000
8 GB for charging slideshow: 5
second only) er 2006

Anodized aluminum casing and 6 colors available.

USB 5
Mac: 10.4 audio: 24
4, 8 GB (FireWire Septemb Win: XP video: 5
for charging
Nano third only) er 2007
2" QVGA screen, colors refreshed with chrome back, new interface,
video capability, smaller Click Wheel.
9
4, 8, Mac: 10.4 audio: 24
USB Septemb Win: XP
16 GB video: 4
er 2008
fourth
Revert to tall form and all-aluminum enclosure with 9 color
choices, added accelerometer for shake and horizontal viewing.
4 GB model limited release in select markets.
9
8, Mac: 10.4 audio: 24
USB Septemb Win: XP
16 GB video: 5
er 2009
fifth
First iPod to include a video camera; also included a larger screen,
an FM radio, a speaker, a pedometer, and a polished exterior case
while retaining the same colors as the fourth generation model.
11
Shuffl 512 MB USB Mac: 10.2
first (no adaptor January Win: 2000 audio: 12
e , 1 GB required)
2005
 New entry-level model. Uses flash memory and has no screen.

12
Mac: 10.3
1, 2 GB USB Septemb Win: 2000 audio: 12
second er 2006
Smaller clip design with anodized aluminum casing. 4 color options
added later. Colors were later refreshed twice.
11
Mac: 10.4
2, 4 GB USB March Win: XP audio: 10
2009
third
Smaller design with controls relocated to right earbud cable.
Introduced with two colors, and features VoiceOver. More colors
and 2GB model added in September 2009.
USB 5
8, 16, (FireWire Mac: 10.4 audio: 22
Septemb Win: XP
32 GB for charging video: 5
only)[45] er 2007
first First iPod with Wi-Fi and a Multi-Touch interface. Features Safari
browser and wireless access to the iTunes Store and YouTube.
32 GB model later added. iPhone OS 2.0 and App Store access
requires an upgrade fee.
9
Touch 8, 16, Mac: 10.4 audio: 36
USB Septemb Win: XP
32 GB video: 6
er 2008
second New tapered chrome back with Nike+ functionality, volume
buttons, and built-in speaker added. iPhone OS 2.0 and App Store
access standard. Bluetooth support added but not made active until
iPhone OS 3.0, which requires an upgrade fee.
9
32, Mac: 10.4 audio: 30
third USB Septemb Win: XP
64 GB video: 6
er 2009
Updated to include the upgraded internals from the iPhone 3GS;
includes Voice Control support and bundled remote earphones.
Sources: Apple Inc.[46], Mactracker[47]

Timeline of iPod models

See also: Timeline of full-sized iPod models, Timeline of compact iPod models, and Timeline of
Apple products
 Sources: Apple press release library,[48] Mactracker Apple Inc. model database[47]

Patent disputes
In 2005, Apple faced two lawsuits claiming patent infringement by the iPod line and its
associated technologies:[49] Advanced Audio Devices claimed the iPod line breached its patent on
a "music jukebox",[50] while a Hong Kong-based IP portfolio company called Pat-rights filed a
suit claiming that Apple's FairPlay technology breached a patent[51] issued to inventor Ho Keung
Tse. The latter case also includes the online music stores of Sony, RealNetworks, Napster, and
Musicmatch as defendants.[52]
Apple's application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent on "rotational
user inputs",[53] as used on the iPod interface, received a third "non-final rejection" (NFR) in
August 2005. Also in August 2005, Creative Technology, one of Apple's main rivals in the MP3
player market, announced that it held a patent[54] on part of the music selection interface used by
the iPod line, which Creative dubbed the "Zen Patent", granted on 9 August 2005.[55] On 15 May
2006, Creative filed another suit against Apple with the United States District Court for the
Northern District of California. Creative also asked the United States International Trade
Commission to investigate whether Apple was breaching U.S. trade laws by importing iPods into
the United States.[56]
On 24 August 2006, Apple and Creative announced a broad settlement to end their legal
disputes. Apple will pay Creative US$100 million for a paid-up license, to use Creative's
awarded patent in all Apple products. As part of the agreement, Apple will recoup part of its
payment, if Creative is successful in licensing the patent. Creative then announced its intention to
produce iPod accessories by joining the Made for iPod program.[57]
Sales
iPod quarterly sales. Click for table of data and sources. Note that Q1 is October through
December of previous year, the holiday season.
See also: iPod advertising
Since October 2004, the iPod line has dominated digital music player sales in the United States,
with over 90% of the market for hard drive-based players and over 70% of the market for all
types of players.[58] During the year from January 2004 to January 2005, the high rate of sales
caused its U.S. market share to increase from 31% to 65% and in July 2005, this market share
was measured at 74%. In January 2007 the iPod market share reached 72.7% according to
Bloomberg Online.
The release of the iPod Mini helped to ensure this success at a time when competing flash-based
music players were once dominant.[citation needed] On 8 January 2004, Hewlett-Packard (HP)
announced that they would sell HP-branded iPods under a license agreement from Apple.
Several new retail channels were used—including Wal-Mart—and these iPods eventually made
up 5% of all iPod sales. In July 2005, HP stopped selling iPods due to unfavorable terms and
conditions imposed by Apple.[59]
In January 2007, Apple reported record quarterly revenue of US$7.1 billion, of which 48% was
made from iPod sales.[60]
On 9 April 2007, it was announced that Apple had sold its one-hundred millionth iPod, making it
the biggest selling digital music player of all time. In April 2007, Apple reported second quarter
revenue of US$5.2 billion, of which 32% was made from iPod sales.[61] Apple and several
industry analysts suggest that iPod users are likely to purchase other Apple products such as Mac
computers.[62]
On 5 September 2007, during their "The Beat Goes On" event, Apple announced that the iPod
line had surpassed 110 million units sold.
On 22 October 2007, Apple reported quarterly revenue of US$6.22 billion, of which 30.69%
came from Apple notebook sales, 19.22% from desktop sales and 26% from iPod sales. Apple's
2007 year revenue increased to US$24.01 billion with US$3.5 billion in profits. Apple ended the
fiscal year 2007 with US$15.4 billion in cash and no debt.[63]
On 22 January 2008, Apple reported the best quarter revenue and earnings in Apple's history so
far. Apple posted record revenue of US$9.6 billion and record net quarterly profit of US$1.58
billion. 42% of Apple's revenue for the First fiscal quarter of 2008 came from iPod sales,
followed by 21% from notebook sales and 16% from desktop sales.[64]
On 21 October 2008, Apple reported that only 14.21% of total revenue for fiscal quarter 4 of
year 2008 came from iPods.[65]. At the September 9, 2009 keynote presentation at the Apple
Event, Phil Schiller announced total cumulative sales of iPods had exceeded 220 million.[66]
Industry impact
iPods have won several awards ranging from engineering excellence,[67] to most innovative audio
product,[68] to fourth best computer product of 2006.[69] iPods often receive favorable reviews;
scoring on looks, clean design, and ease of use. PC World says that iPod line has "altered the
landscape for portable audio players".[68] Several industries are modifying their products to work
better with both the iPod line and the AAC audio format. Examples include CD copy-protection
schemes,[70] and mobile phones, such as phones from Sony Ericsson and Nokia, which play AAC
files rather than WMA.
Besides earning a reputation as a respected entertainment device, the iPod has also been accepted
as business devices. Government departments, major institutions and international organisations
have turned to the iPod line as a delivery mechanism for business communication and training,
such as the Royal and Western Infirmaries in Glasgow, Scotland, where iPods are used to train
new staff.[71]
iPods have also gained popularity for use in education. Apple offers more information on
educational uses for iPods on their website,[72] including a collection of lesson plans. There has
also been academic research done in this area in nursing education[73] and more general K-16
education.[74] Duke University provided iPods to all incoming freshmen in the fall of 2004, and
the iPod program continues today with modifications.[75] Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-
of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Yes, children, there really was a time when we roamed the
earth without thousands of our favorite jams tucked comfortably into our hip pockets. Weird."[76]
Criticism
This article's Criticism or Controversy section(s) may mean the article does not present
a neutral point of view of the subject. It may be better to integrate the material in those
sections into the article as a whole. (September 2009)
Battery problems
The advertised battery life on most models is different from the real-world achievable life. For
example, the fifth generation 30 GB iPod is advertised as having up to 14 hours of music
playback. An MP3.com report stated that this was virtually unachievable under real-life usage
conditions, with a writer for MP3.com getting on average less than 8 hours from an iPod.[77] In
2003, class action lawsuits were brought against Apple complaining that the battery charges
lasted for shorter lengths of time than stated and that the battery degraded over time.[78] The
lawsuits were settled by offering individuals either US$50 store credit or a free battery
replacement.[79]
iPod batteries are not designed to be removed or replaced by the user, although some users have
been able to open the case themselves, usually following instructions from third-party vendors of
iPod replacement batteries. Compounding the problem, Apple initially would not replace worn-
out batteries. The official policy was that the customer should buy a refurbished replacement
iPod, at a cost almost equivalent to a brand new one. All lithium-ion batteries eventually lose
capacity during their lifetime[80] (guidelines are available for prolonging life-span) and this
situation led to a market for third-party battery replacement kits.
Apple announced a battery replacement program on 14 November 2003, a week before[81] a high
publicity stunt and website by the Neistat Brothers.[82] The initial cost was US$99,[83] and it was
lowered to US$59 in 2005. One week later, Apple offered an extended iPod warranty for US$59.
[84]
For the iPod Nano, soldering tools are needed because the battery is soldered onto the main
board. Fifth generation iPods have their battery attached to the backplate with adhesive.[85][86]
Reliability and durability
iPods have been criticized for their short life-span and fragile hard drives. A 2005 survey
conducted on the MacInTouch website found that the iPod line had an average failure rate of
13.7% (although they note that comments from respondents indicate that "the true iPod failure
rate may be lower than it appears"). It concluded that some models were more durable than
others.[87] In particular, failure rates for iPods employing hard drives was usually above 20%
while those with flash memory had a failure rate below 10%, indicating poor hard drive
durability. In late 2005, many users complained that the surface of the first generation iPod Nano
can become scratched easily, rendering the screen unusable.[88][89] A class action lawsuit was also
filed.[90] Apple initially considered the issue a minor defect, but later began shipping these iPods
with protective sleeves.
Allegations of worker exploitation
On 11 June 2006, the British tabloid The Mail on Sunday reported that iPods are mainly
manufactured by workers who earn no more than US$50 per month and work 15-hour shifts.[91]
Apple investigated the case with independent auditors and found that, while some of the plant's
labour practices met Apple's Code of Conduct, others did not: Employees worked over 60 hours
a week for 35% of the time, and worked more than six consecutive days for 25% of the time.[92]
Foxconn, Apple's manufacturer, initially denied the abuses,[93] but when an auditing team from
Apple found that workers had been working longer hours than were allowed under Chinese law,
they promised to prevent workers working more hours than the code allowed. Apple hired a
workplace standards auditing company, Verité, and joined the Electronic Industry Code of
Conduct Implementation Group to oversee the measures. On 31 December 2006, workers at the
Foxconn factory in Longhua, Shenzhen formed a union affiliated with the All-China Federation
of Trade Unions.[94]
See also
Design portal

• Comparison of portable media players

 • Comparison of iPod managers
References
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72. ^ Mobile Learning
73. ^ Maag, M.E.D. (2006). "Podcasting and MP3 Players: Emerging Education
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74. ^ Slykhuis, D. (2006). Have an iPod? Then you need to know this about how to use it in
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75. ^ Duke’s Ever-Evolving iPod Initiative
76. ^ Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam;
Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy;
Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.;
Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (December 11, 2009), "THE 100 Greatest
MOVIES, TV SHOWS, ALBUMS, BOOKS, CHARACTERS, SCENES, EPISODES,
SONGS, DRESSES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND TRENDS THAT ENTERTAINED US
OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS". Entertainment Weekly. (1079/1080):74-84
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79. ^ Horwitz, Jeremy. Apple’s iPod Battery Settlement, Explained, iLounge, 2005-06-10.
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81. ^ iPod Battery FAQ. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
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02-17.
83. ^ Apple offers iPod battery replacement service, MacMinute, 2003-11-14. Retrieved on
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84. ^ AppleCare for iPod now available, MacMinute, 2003-11-21. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
85. ^ Ecker, Clint. Vivisection of the Video iPod, Ars Technica, 2005-10-19. Retrieved on
2006-11-26.
86. ^ Disassemble Guide for Video iPod. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
87. ^ iPod Reliability Survey, MacInTouch, 2005-11-28. Retrieved on 2006-10-29.
88. ^ Apple responds to iPod nano screen concerns, Macworld, 2005-09-27. Retrieved on
2007-02-17.
89. ^ Arthur, Charles. iPod Nano owners in screen scratch trauma, The Register, 2005-09-25.
Retrieved on 2007-02-17.
90. ^ Fried, Ina. Suit filed over Nano scratches, CNet News, 2005-10-21. Retrieved on 2007-
02-17.
 91. ^ Inside Apple's iPod factories, Macworld UK, 2006-06-12. Retrieved on 2007-03-20.
92. ^ Millard, Elizabeth. Is It Ethical To Own an iPod?. Retrieved on 2007-03-20.
93. ^ Foxconn denies iPod 'sweatshop' claims, MacNN, 2006-06-19. Retrieved on 2007-02-
17.
94. ^ ITUC Hong Kong Liason Office (2007-01-02). "ACFTU Union established at Foxconn
on the very last day of 2006". http://www.ihlo.org/LRC/ACFTU/030107.html. Retrieved
2010-02-02.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: iPod

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: iPod

• Apple iPod—Official website

• iPod troubleshooting basics and service FAQ—From the official website
• Apple's 21st century Walkman—Brent Schlender, Fortune, October 2001
• iPod Nation—Steven Levy, Newsweek, July 2004
• The Perfect Thing—Steven Levy, Wired, November 2006
[show]
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iPod

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Italics indicate discontinued products. See also: iPhone OS-based products.

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iPhone (models) · iPod touch (models) · iPad
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See also: Newton (OS, MessagePad)

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Apple hardware since 1998

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eMac · iMac (G3: Tray, Slot; G4; G5; Core; Core 2: Polycarbonate, Aluminum) · Mac mini (G4;
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CApple TV · Displays (Cinema, Studio) · iPad · iPhone (Original, 3G, 3GS) · iPod (Classic: 1G,
o2G, 3G, 4G, Photo, 5G, 6G; Mini: 1G, 2G; iPod+HP; Shuffle: 1G, 2G, 3G; Nano: 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G;
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Wireless) · Mouse (USB, Pro, Wireless, Mighty, Magic) · Remote · SuperDrive · Time Capsule ·
o
USB Modem · Xserve RAID
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products. See also: Apple hardware before 1998.

[show]
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Apple Inc.

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Bill Campbell · Millard Drexler · Al Gore · Steve Jobs · Andrea Jung · Arthur D. Levinson ·
dJerry York
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HApple TV · iPad · iPhone · iPod (Classic, Mini, Nano, Shuffle, Touch) · Mac (iMac, MacBook
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sEmagic · FingerWorks · Lala · NeXT · Nothing Real · P.A. Semi · Silicon Color · Spruce
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Advertising (1984, Get a Mac, iPods, Slogans) · Braeburn Capital · FileMaker Inc. · History
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Annual revenue: US$42.91 billion (▲32.1% FY 2009) · Employees: 34,300 · Stock symbol:
(NASDAQ: AAPL, LSE: ACP, FWB: APC) · Web site: www.apple.com
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Apple Admitted Kane Kramer Invented the Technology
Behind the iPod
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Buzz up!
Apple had to use Kane Kramer’s patents and drawings to defend itself in the Apple v
Burst.com legal case with no choice but to admit Kane Kramer is the inventor behind the iPod.
Kramer’s invention was called the IXI, invented in 1979, stored 3.5 minutes of music on to a
chip and Mr. Kramer believed its capacity would improve. His sketches at the time showed a
credit-card-sized player with a rectangular screen and a central menu button, very similar to the
iPod. But in 1988, after a boardroom split, he was unable to renew patents and the technology

became public property.

Apple flew Kramer out from the UK to California to testify on their behalf.The Apple v
Burst.com case has been settled confidentially out of court and Kramer is negotiating with Apple
to gain some compensation from the copyright that he owns on the drawings. But so far he has
received only a consultancy fee for providing his expertise in the legal case plus an iPod that last
for eight months before it broke down.
Kane’s latest invention is Monicall – a system for making conversations into enforceable and
legally binding agreements.
• It will allow people to have phone calls recorded and emailed to the various parties as an
audio file.
• It will speed up business deals and provide a low-cost third-party witness to
conversations and agreements.
• A deal will be done on the phone and that is it � an audio file gets emailed over within
30 seconds.

Related Posts:
• Apple Makes iPhone Developer University, Gives Free Stuff to Colleges
• Apple Granted Six New Patents for iPhone Dock – MacBook Design and Speech
Synthesis
• Thieves Clean Out an Apple Store in 31 Seconds – Video
• Apple iPod Touch Gets Google Street View Hack – Runs Game Faster Than iPhone 3G
• Hitachi Maxell Releases Noise-Canceling iPod Headphones – No Separate Power
Required

Posted on September 7, 2008 at 1:31 pm(PST)

Tags: Apple | iPod | Kane Kramer | Monicall | News: Tech and Gadgets | OLED

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How the iPod Touch Works

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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:

Wilson, Tracy V., and Stephanie Crawford. "How the iPod Touch Works." 11 September 2007.
HowStuffWorks.com. <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/ipod-touch.htm> 30 March 2010.
Inside this Article
1. Introduction to How the iPod Touch Works
2. iPod Touch Features
3. The iPod Touch Screen
4. iPod Touch Processor and Interface
5. Lots More Information
6. See all iPods articles
It's All Geek to Me: iPod - Beyond Music

• More Electronics Videos »

iPod Image Gallery
Photo courtesy Apple
The iPod touch. See more iPod pictures.
When Apple released the iPod video in 2005, people started wondering what the next version of
the iPod would look like. It seemed obvious that the media player needed a bigger screen. While
a 2.5-inch LCD was fine for browsing through lists of artists and songs, it was far too small for
watching videos, especially in a widescreen format.
Apple released the first version of its iPod touch in 2007. Since its release, the iPod touch has
become a popular portable media player. Its sibling iPod models specialize in audio and video
playback, which is great if that's all you need. The iPod touch goes beyond that, including
wireless networking, built-in applications for e-mail and Web browsing and the option to install
many of the thousands of applications available through the App Store.
Ads by Google

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The iPod touch display screen covers most of the front surface of the iPod touch, making it
resemble an iPhone. It also uses the same multi-touch interface that the iPhone uses instead of
the click-wheel design on other iPods. You wake up the iPod touch with a simple press of its
home button, and then navigate through music, videos and other files using your fingers and the
touch-sensitive screen.
The iPod touch might sound like the perfect blend of features from the original iPod and the
iPhone; however, the iPod touch isn't for everyone. In this article, we'll look at how the iPod
touch measures up to the iPhone and other iPod models. We'll also examine the technology
behind the multi-touch interface and the media player's technical specifications.

Your Browser Does Not Support iFrames

Next Page
Inside this Article
1. Introduction to How the iPod Touch Works
2. iPod Touch Features
3. The iPod Touch Screen
4. iPod Touch Processor and Interface
5. Lots More Information
6. See all iPods articles
Related Ad Categories
• Touch Screen
• Apple Nano iPod
• iPod Touch Reviews
• iPod Cheapest
• Multi Touch Monitors

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Inside the iPhone: Mac OS X, ARM, and iPod OS X

Slashdot presented Macworld: Ten Myths of the Apple iPhone next to several gloom and doom reports
by analysts who fell all over themselves to explain why Apple's new iPhone was nothing to get excited
about. Those critics have been fairly quiet about the iPhone’s use of OS X however. What does it mean
for users?

Mac OS X vs OS X?
A few readers have jumped on the detail that Apple seems to be consistently referring to the iPhone
as running "OS X," not "Mac OS X." This does seem unusual, because Apple has never referred to
Darwin, the open source portion of Mac OS X--or any other subset of its OS--as anything other than
"Mac OS X."

In fact, it does not even seem sensical for Apple to point out that the iPhone is running "Mac OS X"
and then leave out the Mac. Apple is obviously intending to focus attention on the use of its own OS in
powering the device, or it would have kept the detail a secret. On the Macworld show floor, Apple
representatives did not seem to pointedly distinguish between the the two phrasings. Is there a
difference?

What purpose is there in referring to two related OS products under different names? If Apple hopes
the iPhone will offer an additional peripheral marketing halo that sells more of the company's Mac
computers, then Mac is the brand name Apple should be advertising.

Microsoft has intentionally referred to its various operating environments under the brand Windows,
despite the fact that its Windows 95, Windows NT, and Windows CE products lines are all significantly
different systems. The majority of users don't know or care that there is a difference, they only know
that if it says "Windows" then it must be safe to buy, because the word has been advertised far more
than even Intel's "Pentium" brand.

That being the case, it appears that it's a bit excessive to extrapolate any difference. Even Apple's own
Developer Connection web page, the metadata description of the page (which shows up in Google
search) is worded:

"Apple's developer resource for Mac OS X. Contains guidelines, tutorials and API information for new
OS X developers."

Either Apple is using "OS X" inconsistently, or the difference in phrasing does not mean anything
special when applied to the iPhone.

ARM, and Pulling a Leg

John Gruber of the Daring Fireball recently posted the article At ARM’s Length, which pointedly states
that “Mac OS X and OS X are not the same thing,” suggesting that Apple is indeed being inconsistent
and has mind bogglingly decided to use “OS X” to refer to the version running on the iPhone.

Gruber also says that the iPhone is not powered by an Intel processor, but rather an ARM processor,
and seems to suggest that this represents some new epoch for Apple, as if the company hasn’t used
ARM since the Newton.

Surely he knows that Apple has been using ARM processors in the iPod from the beginning, and that
Intel makes a lot of ARM processors under the brand XScale, which power everything from the
Blackberry to many WinCE PDAs, Palm Treos, and Creative Zen music players.

Intel recently decided that it was no longer interested in the PDA processor market, and sold off its
XScale operations to Marvell last June. Intel still builds XScale processors for Marvell however.

That creates a picture that seems to suggest that Apple has ported Mac OS X to the ARM architecture
for the iPhone, and that Apple will confusingly call the ARM version “OS X” to distinguish it from the
version running on Intel Macs.
Porting Mac OS X to ARM would make a lot of sense; referring to it as “OS X” ... not so much. What
are you thinking Apple?

OS X: the Secret iPod OS?

It is actually possible that iPods have used a subset of Mac OS X code for some time already, in
secret. Apple has never made any comment on what operating system existing iPods run, ever since
the company moved from Pixo, the operating system that ran the very first iPods.

That would parallel Apple’s secret internal maintenance of Mac OS X on the Intel architecture, which
wasn’t disclosed until the company decided that developers should know about the arrival of new Intel
Macs... six months in advance, at WWDC 2005.

Now, six months ahead of the iPhone’s release, Apple may similarly be ready to reveal a parallel
secret: that Mac OS X software, ported to the ARM processor architecture, has actually powered iPods
for years.

Making that information public now would only be necessary if Apple decided that it was the time to
open development for the iPod family, starting with the iPhone. Up to this point, iPod development has
been shrouded in secrecy, with only a select few developers allowed the details needed to produce 5G
iPod games.

The internal structure of iPod games suggests that at least the 5G iPods use an Apple designed,
custom system. It would make sense that Apple would attempt to reuse as much code as possible
from existing development on Mac OS X. Will Apple release, as a familial companion to Mac OS X, an
iPod OS X?

OS X on the iPhone
At Macworld, a number of people asked if the iPhone ran "the full Mac OS X." One smart alec answer
was: do you see a Dock? Photoshop? A Trash can?

Actually, it's quite obvious that the iPhone is not running the exact same version that comes in the
Tiger box. The real questions are: how much is missing, and what difference will it make to users and
developers?

Among Apple's own bundled apps, there are obvious departures designed to suit the iPhone's screen
size and other hardware differences. The most obvious is the lack of a regular Mac Finder with a
messy Desktop, a Dock, or a disk icon full of items representing files and folders.

In place of the Finder is a home page: a grid of launcher icons reminiscent of a Palm Pilot... or the
Newton.
A Reinvented Finder
Unlike Microsoft and Windows CE, Apple knew better than to just cram the existing Mac Finder and
desktop into a small screen for a handheld device.

With the iPhone's launcher, each application is easy to get to; with the single physical home button on
the face of the iPhone, the launcher is easy to return to as well.

This makes a lot of sense, particularly when seeing first hand how easy this design makes it to
navigate into a function, such as selecting a photo to email, and then jump back home to the launcher
to do something else.

Despite losing the Finder, key ideas are retained on the iPhone that will be familiar to Mac users.
Along the bottom of the home screen is an iconic list of its four principle functions: phone, mail, web,
and iPod.

These work similar to the Dock; when a call is in progress, the phone icon blinks to let you know
you've got an call. When you have voicemail or email, the phone or mail icons get a badge showing
how many messages are new, just like iChat and Mail icons in the regular Dock.

Anyone unfamiliar with the Mac OS X Finder won't be lost on the new device, but iPhone users are
clearly being lead toward using Macs.

This device is no doubt designed to wean people off of the Start Button, and teach them the meaning
and value of an intuitive interface that actually makes sense. As they say: once you go Mac, you don't
go back.

Mac OS X Software on the iPhone?

Stepping beyond the Finder, it's also clear that existing Mac OS X applications would also need
significant retooling in order to work on the iPhone. But how much? How many applications would
even make sense to run on the handheld device?

Apple left plenty of room on the iPhone's home page menu for new icons, and a 4 or 8 GB device
should have plenty of reserve capacity to load lots of new apps. Applications are certainly much
smaller than the movies or albums it is also designed to store.
So what capacity will the iPhone have to run new apps, and will Apple let anyone make them? I'll take
a look in the next article.

Next Articles:
The Egregious Incompetence of Palm
More Absurd iPhone Myths: Third Party Software Panic
More Absurd iPhone Myths: iSuppli, Subsidies, and Pricing
The Spectacular Failure of WinCE and Windows Mobile
OS X vs. WinCE: How iPhone Differs from Windows Mobile
Apple's OS X: How Does it Fit on the iPhone?
Why OS X is on the iPhone, but not the PC
Apple iPhone vs LG Prada KE850
Phone Wars: iPhone vs TyTN, Treo, Pearl, E62, P990, Q
Smartphones: iPhone and the Big Fat Mobile Industry
Cingular Apple iPhone vs. Verizon Motorola Q
Zune vs. iPhone: Five Phases of Media Coverage
Inside the iPhone: FairPlay DRM and the iTunes Store
Inside the iPhone: Wireless and Sync vs. Palm, WinCE
Inside the iPhone: UI, Stability, and Software
Readers Write About iPhone, 3G Wireless Networks
Inside the iPhone: Third Party Software
Inside the iPhone: Mac OS X, ARM, and iPod OS X
Inside the iPhone: EDGE, EVDO, HSUPA, 3G, and WiFi
Macworld: Ten Myths of the Apple iPhone
Macworld: Scorecard and Secrets of the iPhone

This Series
Tech: Apple & the Media

What do you think? I really like to hear from readers. Leave a comment or email me with your ideas.

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Saturday, January 13, 2007
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next >
< previous
Inside the iPhone: Mac OS X, ARM, and iPod OS X

Slashdot presented Macworld: Ten Myths of the Apple iPhone next to several gloom and doom reports
by analysts who fell all over themselves to explain why Apple's new iPhone was nothing to get excited
about. Those critics have been fairly quiet about the iPhone’s use of OS X however. What does it mean
for users?

Mac OS X vs OS X?
A few readers have jumped on the detail that Apple seems to be consistently referring to the iPhone
as running "OS X," not "Mac OS X." This does seem unusual, because Apple has never referred to
Darwin, the open source portion of Mac OS X--or any other subset of its OS--as anything other than
"Mac OS X."

In fact, it does not even seem sensical for Apple to point out that the iPhone is running "Mac OS X"
and then leave out the Mac. Apple is obviously intending to focus attention on the use of its own OS in
powering the device, or it would have kept the detail a secret. On the Macworld show floor, Apple
representatives did not seem to pointedly distinguish between the the two phrasings. Is there a
difference?

What purpose is there in referring to two related OS products under different names? If Apple hopes
the iPhone will offer an additional peripheral marketing halo that sells more of the company's Mac
computers, then Mac is the brand name Apple should be advertising.

Microsoft has intentionally referred to its various operating environments under the brand Windows,
despite the fact that its Windows 95, Windows NT, and Windows CE products lines are all significantly
different systems. The majority of users don't know or care that there is a difference, they only know
that if it says "Windows" then it must be safe to buy, because the word has been advertised far more
than even Intel's "Pentium" brand.

That being the case, it appears that it's a bit excessive to extrapolate any difference. Even Apple's own
Developer Connection web page, the metadata description of the page (which shows up in Google
search) is worded:

"Apple's developer resource for Mac OS X. Contains guidelines, tutorials and API information for new
OS X developers."
Either Apple is using "OS X" inconsistently, or the difference in phrasing does not mean anything
special when applied to the iPhone.

ARM, and Pulling a Leg

John Gruber of the Daring Fireball recently posted the article At ARM’s Length, which pointedly states
that “Mac OS X and OS X are not the same thing,” suggesting that Apple is indeed being inconsistent
and has mind bogglingly decided to use “OS X” to refer to the version running on the iPhone.

Gruber also says that the iPhone is not powered by an Intel processor, but rather an ARM processor,
and seems to suggest that this represents some new epoch for Apple, as if the company hasn’t used
ARM since the Newton.

Surely he knows that Apple has been using ARM processors in the iPod from the beginning, and that
Intel makes a lot of ARM processors under the brand XScale, which power everything from the
Blackberry to many WinCE PDAs, Palm Treos, and Creative Zen music players.

Intel recently decided that it was no longer interested in the PDA processor market, and sold off its
XScale operations to Marvell last June. Intel still builds XScale processors for Marvell however.

That creates a picture that seems to suggest that Apple has ported Mac OS X to the ARM architecture
for the iPhone, and that Apple will confusingly call the ARM version “OS X” to distinguish it from the
version running on Intel Macs.

Porting Mac OS X to ARM would make a lot of sense; referring to it as “OS X” ... not so much. What
are you thinking Apple?

OS X: the Secret iPod OS?

It is actually possible that iPods have used a subset of Mac OS X code for some time already, in
secret. Apple has never made any comment on what operating system existing iPods run, ever since
the company moved from Pixo, the operating system that ran the very first iPods.

That would parallel Apple’s secret internal maintenance of Mac OS X on the Intel architecture, which
wasn’t disclosed until the company decided that developers should know about the arrival of new Intel
Macs... six months in advance, at WWDC 2005.

Now, six months ahead of the iPhone’s release, Apple may similarly be ready to reveal a parallel
secret: that Mac OS X software, ported to the ARM processor architecture, has actually powered iPods
for years.

Making that information public now would only be necessary if Apple decided that it was the time to
open development for the iPod family, starting with the iPhone. Up to this point, iPod development has
been shrouded in secrecy, with only a select few developers allowed the details needed to produce 5G
iPod games.

The internal structure of iPod games suggests that at least the 5G iPods use an Apple designed,
custom system. It would make sense that Apple would attempt to reuse as much code as possible
from existing development on Mac OS X. Will Apple release, as a familial companion to Mac OS X, an
iPod OS X?
OS X on the iPhone
At Macworld, a number of people asked if the iPhone ran "the full Mac OS X." One smart alec answer
was: do you see a Dock? Photoshop? A Trash can?

Actually, it's quite obvious that the iPhone is not running the exact same version that comes in the
Tiger box. The real questions are: how much is missing, and what difference will it make to users and
developers?

Among Apple's own bundled apps, there are obvious departures designed to suit the iPhone's screen
size and other hardware differences. The most obvious is the lack of a regular Mac Finder with a
messy Desktop, a Dock, or a disk icon full of items representing files and folders.

In place of the Finder is a home page: a grid of launcher icons reminiscent of a Palm Pilot... or the
Newton.

A Reinvented Finder
Unlike Microsoft and Windows CE, Apple knew better than to just cram the existing Mac Finder and
desktop into a small screen for a handheld device.

With the iPhone's launcher, each application is easy to get to; with the single physical home button on
the face of the iPhone, the launcher is easy to return to as well.

This makes a lot of sense, particularly when seeing first hand how easy this design makes it to
navigate into a function, such as selecting a photo to email, and then jump back home to the launcher
to do something else.

Despite losing the Finder, key ideas are retained on the iPhone that will be familiar to Mac users.
Along the bottom of the home screen is an iconic list of its four principle functions: phone, mail, web,
and iPod.

These work similar to the Dock; when a call is in progress, the phone icon blinks to let you know
you've got an call. When you have voicemail or email, the phone or mail icons get a badge showing
how many messages are new, just like iChat and Mail icons in the regular Dock.
Anyone unfamiliar with the Mac OS X Finder won't be lost on the new device, but iPhone users are
clearly being lead toward using Macs.

This device is no doubt designed to wean people off of the Start Button, and teach them the meaning
and value of an intuitive interface that actually makes sense. As they say: once you go Mac, you don't
go back.

Mac OS X Software on the iPhone?

Stepping beyond the Finder, it's also clear that existing Mac OS X applications would also need
significant retooling in order to work on the iPhone. But how much? How many applications would
even make sense to run on the handheld device?

Apple left plenty of room on the iPhone's home page menu for new icons, and a 4 or 8 GB device
should have plenty of reserve capacity to load lots of new apps. Applications are certainly much
smaller than the movies or albums it is also designed to store.

So what capacity will the iPhone have to run new apps, and will Apple let anyone make them? I'll take
a look in the next article.

Next Articles:
The Egregious Incompetence of Palm
More Absurd iPhone Myths: Third Party Software Panic
More Absurd iPhone Myths: iSuppli, Subsidies, and Pricing
The Spectacular Failure of WinCE and Windows Mobile
OS X vs. WinCE: How iPhone Differs from Windows Mobile
Apple's OS X: How Does it Fit on the iPhone?
Why OS X is on the iPhone, but not the PC
Apple iPhone vs LG Prada KE850
Phone Wars: iPhone vs TyTN, Treo, Pearl, E62, P990, Q
Smartphones: iPhone and the Big Fat Mobile Industry
Cingular Apple iPhone vs. Verizon Motorola Q
Zune vs. iPhone: Five Phases of Media Coverage
Inside the iPhone: FairPlay DRM and the iTunes Store
Inside the iPhone: Wireless and Sync vs. Palm, WinCE
Inside the iPhone: UI, Stability, and Software
Readers Write About iPhone, 3G Wireless Networks
Inside the iPhone: Third Party Software
Inside the iPhone: Mac OS X, ARM, and iPod OS X
Inside the iPhone: EDGE, EVDO, HSUPA, 3G, and WiFi
Macworld: Ten Myths of the Apple iPhone
Macworld: Scorecard and Secrets of the iPhone

This Series
Tech: Apple & the Media

What do you think? I really like to hear from readers. Leave a comment or email me with your ideas.

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Related Articles IGM Specials

- Apple ranks high in recent customer satisfaction report
How the iPod got its name - Apple posts new round of Get a Mac ads NewerTech iPhone/iPod
November 14th 2008 - Macs nudge closer to 10% Web marketshare Car Charger
$14.99
- What would you like your Apple TV do?
Was out trolling and came across this gem from Wired on how the iPod got its name. I've
paraphrased their write up to reduce the word count a bit (gee, do you think they get paid by the NEW Mac Pro Memory
word?), but have reproduced the quotes: Kits 1066MHz
8GB-$228
Vinnie Chieco, a freelance San Francisco copywriter, was recruited to be part of the team tasked 12GB-$338
with figuring out how to introduce the iPod to the public. 16GB-$448
Because Jobs had settled on the player's descriptive tag line—"1,000 songs in your pocket"—the
product name was freed from having to be descriptive (no need to reference music or songs).
Further, Jobs continually referenced Apple's digital hub strategy with the Mac at the core. 4GB MacBook Pro &
MacBook
Thereupon, Chieco figured the ultimate hub would be a spaceship (ie you could leave the DDR3/PC8500/$102
spaceship in a smaller vessel, a pod, but you'd have to return to the mother ship to refuel and get
food). Then Chieco was shown a prototype iPod, with its stark white plastic front.

"As soon as I saw the white iPod, I thought 2001," said Chieco. "Open the pod bay door, Hal!" Seagate 1.5TB $128
Hitachi 320GB $54
Then it was just a matter of adding the "i" prefix, as in "iMac." Samsung 500GB $108

Brilliant example of intelligent, focussed minds working together to create greatness.

via ComputerWorld
NewerTech Universal
Drive Adapter
Download, Play, Burn MP3s! No DRM. No Restrictions. No Worries. $29

Mercury Extreme SSD

50GB - $229.99
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Connect with Insanely Great Mac 200GB - $779.99

Reader Comments

I never really liked the name. And the iThing is really getting tired. I think the iPod succeeded in
spite of its name.
Posted by Guest Poster #1 on 11/14/08 4:10 PM

"it's" means "it is".

"how the iPod got it's name" reads "how the iPod got it is name". That doesn't make sense.
"its" is the possessive form of "it".

It should be "how the iPod got its name."

grammar Posted by Guest Poster #2 on 11/14/08 9:34 PM

it doesn't say "it's" anywhere you dope, just "its"

Posted by Guest Poster #3 on 11/15/08 6:30 AM

Another little piece of cool Apple lore.

Posted by Guest Poster #4 on 11/15/08 10:17 AM

It says its now, thanks to the change editor made after the dope pointed out the dopey mistake.
Posted by Guest Poster #5 on 11/15/08 11:21 AM

iPod was a name already in use on the Apple campus for a kiosk system which was in
development. The name was ripped from that project.
Too bad it just isn't true Posted by Guest Poster #6 on 11/15/08 1:19 PM

Yes, the word iPod had already been registered by Apple as a trademark, but the team working on
the music player that would become the iPod wasn't aware of that fact until they themselves tried
to register the name.
Posted by Guest Poster #7 on 11/15/08 1:53 PM

ipOd got its name from portable audio.

P=portable + 'aud' audio. pod
ipOd Posted by Guest Poster #8 on 12/21/08 12:29 AM

QUESTION: Who really came up with the Name i Pod?

ANSWER: Its Australian and it was 5 years before apple thought of it.
Futurologist Hugh C Gray JP was the CEO of a business called” I Pod”
In Queensland Australia where the business name was first registered.

On July 24, 2000, Apple registered the i Pod name for "a public internet kiosk enclosure
containing computer equipment,"
However the article below may indeed shed some light as to the true history of the naming "i Pod
and in fact it would seem that this was also the first use of the letter”i" as in the i Pod first
registered by futurologist and CEO of the i Pod business Hugh Gray JP in Brisbane Australia,
Was in fact the first use of the letter "i" in a product, Which would even predate the "i Mac"
.Although some sites on the net do acknowledge this fact,

What most people and the Media do not know is that Apple had their Australian Lawyers
investigate this claim and report back to Apple head office,
And they admit that the Australian Claim of Hugh Gray to be the first to come up with the name i
Pod and use the name commercially is true.
Apple Computers have still not acknowledged this on their website. Where they still push the
“Vinnie Chieco” story or their July 24, 2000 registration of the name in USA As being first use.
Even though they now have proof positive that it was registered in Brisbane Australia over 5
years earlier.

Check out the details and the time line on this site. and you will realize that the above statement is
the earliest use of the letter i and the full name i pod

how the i pod got it name, This is the truth and apple did not pay one cent Posted by Guest
Poster #9 on 02/11/09 1:04 AM

There is a website called . You might find some more information there.
Vinnie Chieco Posted by Guest Poster #10 on 03/11/09 3:35 PM

the pod in i pod came when Hugh gray the original inventor of the name and the builder of the
original iPod said he came up with the pod part as a pod as in a seed pod a seed of ideas, and this
is again fact and can be checked by direct contact t with the original inventor
Hugh.gray@bigpond.com
I-Pod the very first one called ipod Posted by Guest Poster #13 on 07/02/09 7:07 AM

The name ipod stands for internet pod. It was from a company called Web Pod. The ipod was an
internet kiosk put in shopping malls, where one could put in money and access email, take a
photo or video of themselves, and email it to friends. The designer approached Apple with it to
see if Apple was interested in it. Apple would provide the computers. Apple said they were not
interested. Then Apple started to put up large bill boards with the name ipod all over the place.
Then after a time they introduced the device they now call ipod. Apple sued the little guy,
knowing he couldn't stand a chance. and ended up paying him $5,000 to go away. That is the
truth. Apple made millions and the little guy made $5,000 only because he couldn't afford the
lawyers. That's how Apple got the name ipod.
how ipod got it's name Posted by Guest Poster #14 on 10/24/09 10:12 AM

sorry the web pod was never in the picture

The facts do check out that Hugh Gray form Brisbane Australia was the first to use the name i-
Pod and yess it is tue that Apple made Milliions and Mr Hugh Gray got nothing Apple are not a
very nice lot of people to deal with Like most big business they dont care about the little people
the design geniuses or like mr gray a futureologist. Perhaps mr jobs will feel guilty before goes to
meet his maker. Ha fat chance eh?
The i Pod name Posted by Guest Poster #15 on 12/06/09 8:05 AM

Sorry you're wrong, because I know personally the person who received $5,ooo from Apple, who
was the one who sued him, to go away. How Mr Huge Gray got the name, I don't know, you can
ask him. but...Bottom line, Apple did NOT invent the name. and yes, I agree.. What goes around,
comes around, maybe not in this life time, but it comes around eventually.
Posted by Guest Poster #16 on 01/03/10 11:40 AM
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