iPod classic Specs History

Apple released the iPod classic (Late 2009) in September 2009, replacing the 120GB model and increasing capacity to 160GB while maintaining the $249 price point.

Apple released the 120GB iPod classic model at the "Let's Rock" event on September 9, 2008, replacing the 80GB and the thicker 160GB models at a price of $249.

At a special iPod event on September 5, 2007, Apple introduced the sixth-generation iPod and added the "classic" suffix. This model featured a slightly thinner body and significantly improved battery life, offering up to 40 hours of music playback and 7 hours of video. The front panel was changed to anodized aluminum instead of polycarbonate plastic, and the signature iPod White was replaced with Silver. A completely revamped user interface featured enhanced graphics and Cover Flow. It launched at $249 for the 80GB model (approx. 20,000 songs) and $349 for the 160GB model (approx. 40,000 songs). The U2 Special Edition was discontinued.

In June 2006, Apple released the iPod U2 Special Edition (with video), bringing the iconic red wheel back to the iPod lineup. Aside from the color and pricing, it was identical to the 30GB iPod (with video). It launched at $329 and included a coupon for 30 minutes of exclusive U2 video content from the iTunes Store. In September 2006, the price was reduced to $279.

Apple refreshed the fifth-generation iPod on September 12, 2006, featuring a brighter screen, longer video playback, newly designed earphones, and a new search feature. It was the first model not to include an iTunes installation CD, directing users to download iTunes from Apple's website. The 60GB model was replaced by an 80GB version, and prices for the 30GB and 80GB models were reduced by $50 to $249 and $349 respectively.

At the "One more thing..." event on October 12, 2005, Apple announced the fifth-generation iPod, the first to support video playback (MPEG-4 and H.264 at resolutions up to 640x480 and 320x240 respectively). Available in 30GB ($299) and 60GB ($399) capacities, it featured a 2.5-inch 65,536-color (16-bit) screen and could output video to an external TV via an AV cable.

On June 28, 2005, Apple released the iPod U2 Special Edition with Color Display as it merged the standard iPod and iPod photo lines. This model featured a color screen and photo capabilities at a reduced price of $329. It was discontinued on October 12, 2005, with the launch of the fifth-generation iPod.

On June 28, 2005, Apple merged the iPod and iPod photo product lines, bringing all photo features to the standard iPod series and discontinuing all grayscale models. The 20GB model remained at $299, while the 60GB model was reduced from $449 to $399. The $349 30GB iPod photo was also discontinued. Apple also released iTunes 4.9 at this time, adding support for podcasts.

Apple announced iPod photo (originally iPod Photo) on October 26, 2004, featuring a 220x176 pixel screen displaying 65,536 colors. It could store and display JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG images. It was 1 mm thicker than the standard fourth-generation iPod and offered up to 15 hours of battery life. Initially available in 40GB ($499) and 60GB ($599) versions, a 30GB model was introduced on February 23, 2005, while the 40GB model was retired and the price of the 60GB model was reduced.

On October 26, 2004, Apple announced the iPod U2 Special Edition in a black-and-red design, featuring a black front panel and a red Click Wheel (matching U2's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" album) with the signatures of U2 band members engraved on the back. It offered 20GB of storage for $349 and included a $50 iTunes Store coupon toward the purchase of "The Complete U2" digital box set containing over 400 U2 songs.

Apple released the fourth-generation iPod on July 19, 2004. Slightly thinner than its predecessor, it was available in 20GB and 40GB capacities with up to 12 hours of battery life. It was the first full-sized iPod to feature the Apple Click Wheel from the iPod mini. The entry price was reduced to $299, with the 40GB model priced at $399.

The iPod (Dock Connector) featured a new design and features, being thinner and lighter than previous models. It replaced the dedicated FireWire port with a "dock connector," supporting connections to both Mac and PC via FireWire or USB 2.0. The body was more rounded, and the four buttons were moved above the wheel in a solid-state backlit design. Apple also added several software enhancements to the series that were not made available for older models.

The iPod was a hard drive-based digital music player smaller than most portable cassette players. By using a 1.8-inch hard drive, Apple ensured the iPod was smaller than most other hard drive MP3 players while offering far more storage than flash-based players. The initial 5GB model debuted at $399. A 10GB model was added in March 2002 for $499. In July 2002, Apple replaced the mechanical scroll wheel with the solid-state Touch Wheel and added a 20GB model for $499, while reducing the prices of the 5GB and 10GB models to $299 and $399 respectively (the 5GB model retained the scroll wheel for a time). Additionally, Apple made the iPod available to Windows users for the first time.

The iPod was a hard drive-based digital music player smaller than most portable cassette players. By using a 1.8-inch hard drive, Apple made the iPod smaller than most other hard drive MP3 players while offering significantly more storage than flash players. The initial 5GB model launched at $399. A 10GB model was added in March 2002 for $499, and a 20GB model followed in July 2002, along with the first Windows support.