14 years ago today, (10/23/01), Apple released the first line of iPods which essentially revolutionized the portable music industry and laid the framework for smart phones. In Apple’s press release from October 23, 2001, former CEO Steve Jobs said, “With iPod, Apple has invented a whole new category of digital music player that lets you put your entire music collection in your pocket and listen to it wherever you go. With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again.
The real advantage of the iPod was its integration with iTunes. Unlike other MP3 players, which required users to drag music files into folders, iTunes allowed you to sync your music automatically to an iPod. Apple’s integration of hardware and software made the user experience much easier than what other devices of the time offered. Watch Steve Jobs introduce the new product at Apple Town Hall in 2001.
