The Glorious Future Of The iPod

The iPod has sparked a revolution in the mobile MP3 market, with a cult-like following and approaching 100 million units sold. Can the iPod be taken down? Not likely.

This is part one of two discussing the future of the iPod, the good and the bad.

When first introduced in October of 2001, the iPod was met with skepticism and yawns. Many criticized Apple for entering the MP3 market with an overpriced player with low storage. But even with its “limitations” the iPod brought something to the table no other MP3 player had: the Apple touch. The iPod, compared to other players, trounced them all in the coolness department. The iPod gained a cult-like status, and a multi-billion dollar market was formed around the player with accessories.

The iPod currently has over 60% of the MP3 player marketshare.

That was then. What will be later? We already know what is now. With the introduction of each new generation of iPods, the time before the next edition to the family has been lengthier and lengthier. You could think the iPod is at a stand still design-wise, but the slowdown could be caused by Apple’s realization of how popular the iPod really is. Since the iPod is catching on through word of mouth from iPod owners themselves, pushing out a new model to entice future customers is no longer needed.

The iPod is becoming a brand name amongst consumers, well, less tech-savvy ones anyway, becoming synonymous with the term MP3 player. How can a piece of gadgetry, a mere box of electronics, gain such a following? Apple’s excellent marketing strategy. The white earbuds that come prepackaged with all iPods are free marketing for Apple. Every time someone puts on those earbuds while going outside people recognize them and know they have an iPod. Soon everyone on the block has white earbuds and one thinks,  “Hey, everyone has this iPod, it must be popular and work well, so I should check it out.”

But design-wise, the iPod may have hit a stand still. The time between a new release, whether it be a new generation or just a revamp, has become longer and longer. The reason for this is Apple does not need to rush out new models in order to entice consumers. iPods sell themselves using the social factor: friends show them off, families show them off, everyone shows them to each other, and most people are amazed by the features. If you were to go outside and see people listening to music from portable players, how easy would it be to identify an iPod versus a Sandisk player, a Creative player, or even a Microsoft Zune? You’ve probably heard of the iPod or seen it one way or another.

When the iPhone was introduced, it opened a whole new world for iPod functionality. Widescreen movies, touch sensitive display, and full screen coverflow can all be easily incorporated into newer generations of iPods using the iPhone form factor. An iPhone without the phone and internet capabilities could very well be the next generation of the iPod: the next evolution, knowing Apple cannot just add something cool and be done with it. No, it’s add something useful and functional while making it simple and easy to use, something other companies try to copy but cannot implement correctly.

iTunes, iPod, iPhone, all of these are what will bring multimedia to you. How you consume it will be enhanced significantly, but how will it be enhanced? There are many different ways for this to happen. A new technology called WiMax allows people to have access to the internet through wireless towers. These are similar to cell phone towers but deal with internet connections instead. Having WiFi capabilities in the iPod (similar to the Zune), Apple has the potential to allow wireless music downloading or even streaming of content to an Apple TV or other iPods.

This is the future of the iPod: new ways to enjoy content and new content to enjoy.