NPR remembers the first-generation iPod. Jobs announced it as a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive that put “1,000 songs in your pocket“. According to Jobs, “To have your whole music library with you at all times is a quantum leap in listening to music.”
He was right. The iPod, combined with the iTunes software, created the first complete Web-connected portable music system. iTunes offered access to music from the major record labels. Up until that time, no company had succeeded in getting them to come together and be part of an online music site.
The iTunes Store was introduced 29 April 2003. Since no other portable player supports the DRM used, only iPods could play protected content from the iTunes Store. The store became the market leader soon after its launch and Apple announced the sale of videos through the store on 12 October 2005.
The iPod has sold more than 225 million units to date. As of January 2009, the store has sold 6 billion songs, accounting for 70% of worldwide online digital music sales and making the service the largest legal music retailer.
In other news, NPR today became the first U.S. radio broadcaster to launch an app for Android.
Users can click to listen to audio and then toggle between applications as the audio is playing, allowing users to listen and read news at the same time.
It’s powered by NPR’s API, and uses open source code which will allow developers and NPR stations to iterate and improve the app in the future.
