Apple Celebrates The iPod’s 5th Birthday
When Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the first iPod on Oct. 23, 2001, he said: “With iPod, listening to music will never be the same again.” And Boy-Howdy, was he right! Apple’s iPod celebrates its fifth birthday Monday, marking a milestone for the music player that not only reinvigorated the computer maker but revolutionized the way people buy and listen to music.
Apple’s stock has skyrocketed in the last 5 years, largely due to its dominance in the portable music player market. The iPod and Apple’s iTunes music store have transformed the music business, sparking a new way for users to legally download music – and spurring a stunning rise in Apple stock. Apple is now trading at $79.40 slighly up from around $9 five years ago.
iPod sales are still growing. iPod shipments rose to 8.73 million in the latest quarter, up 35 percent from a year earlier, even with tons of competition now out there for the world’s most popular digital music player with more than 70 percent of the market.
CNet has a visual history of the iPod for your viewing pleasure. Just remember, it’s only been 5 years since the first iPod was introduced…seems like a lifetime ago.
