Before the iPhone conquered your pocket, before AirPods became the new cool, before Spotify became a verb, there was iPod. The device that made Apple Apple again. The one that transformed music from physical to digital, from shelves to pockets. The one that turned Steve Jobs into a tech messiah, armed with a click wheel.
So let’s rewind. Let’s honor the mighty iPod.
2001: The Original iPod – Where It All Began
No color screen. No wireless. No App Store. But it redefined personal music. In a time when MP3 players were ugly, clunky, and held maybe 128MB, the iPod felt like a portal to the future. If you had one, you flexed it. If you didn’t, you wanted it.
5GB of storage. FireWire syncing. A mechanical scroll wheel that clicked as you twisted it. And just like that, the iPod launched in October 2001 with the now-iconic pitch: “1,000 songs in your pocket.”
2003–2005: The Glow-Up YearsSome text
By the third and fourth generations, the iPod got smarter:
- USB syncing for Windows users (finally)
- A sleek all-touch click wheel
- A color screen for album art and photo storage
And then came the iPod Mini and iPod Nano: smaller, lighter, more colorful. Suddenly, the iPod wasn’t just a music player. It was an accessory. A vibe.
2005: Enter the iPod Shuffle
The chaotic good of music players. No screen, just a play button and pure vibes. It was tiny, clip-on, and cheap. Perfect for gym bros, marathoners, and people who trusted their playlist enough to let fate decide the next song.
2007: iPod Classic & the iPod Touch Shake Things Up
Two very different legends were born:
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iPod Classic (160GB): For the music purists. All your songs, in one place. The hard drive clunked. The UI lagged. But oh, the storage.
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iPod Touch: Basically an iPhone without the phone part. Wi-Fi, Safari browser, App Store, multitouch screen. It previewed the future and bought you time before committing to an iPhone.
2010: iPod Nano (6th Gen)
Remember the little square that doubled as a watch? That was the Nano 6. A mini touchscreen, multiple watch bands, and zero chill. For a brief moment, this thing made the wrist cool again, way before the Apple Watch was even a thing.
2012–2015: iPod Touch Keeps the Dream Alive
As iPhones got smarter (and more expensive), the iPod Touch became a safe zone for kids and music lovers:
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A5 and A8 chips for smooth apps
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4-inch Retina displays
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FaceTime, front and rear cameras
In Kenya, this became the de facto “first Apple device” for students and pre-teens. Wi-Fi only, but it got the job done.
2019: iPod Touch (7th Gen) – The Final Curtain Call
The last iPod ever. Packed an A10 Fusion chip and iOS 12 support. Offered up to 256GB storage. And yes, it had a headphone jack. But by then, even the most nostalgic users had jumped ship.
It wasn’t bad. It just didn’t matter anymore.
May 2022: The End of the Line
Apple quietly announced the discontinuation of the iPod Touch in May 2022.
“Music lives on,” they said. And just like that, an era ended.
No big event. No swan song. Just a press release.
So Why Did Apple Kill the iPod?
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The iPhone happened – and did everything better.
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Streaming replaced downloads – Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube made local libraries feel old.
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Cost-cutting – why build single-use gadgets when you have an all-in-one device?
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Shift in focus – Apple Watch, AirPods, and Services became the new golden eggs.
The iPod in Kenya
In Kenya, iPods were status symbols. Many were imported, second-hand, or gifted by cousins abroad. The iPod Touch was often the “safe iPhone” for teens.
Even now, you’ll spot the odd iPod Classic at a downtown Nairobi tech stall, battered, scratched, but still alive.
The Legacy Lives On
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Apple Music: Built on the foundation the iPod created.
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AirPods: A nod to the culture of personal listening.
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iPhone: Steve Jobs introduced it as an “iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator.”
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Apple Watch: Tracks workouts, but plays music too. Full circle.
Got the Nostalgia Bug?
Come visit us at Applecenter Kenya. We stock:
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iPhones (from 13 to 16 Pro Max)
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AirPods, iPads, Apple Watches
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Genuine accessories and tech nostalgia
📍 Rehema House, 6th Floor, Standard Street, Nairobi CBD
📞 0722 986 457 | 0735 986 457
🌐 applecenter.co.ke
Rest in Peace, iPod (2001–2022). You changed the game.
