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iPod unveiled.
CEO announced it as a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive that put "1,000 songs in your pocket." -
Period: to
2001 to Today.
The timespan of the iPod to today. -
iTunes Store Launched.
The iTunes Store is an online media store run by Apple and accessed through iTunes. The store became the market leader soon after its launch -
iTunes Video Sales.
Apple announced the sale of videos through the store. -
iTunes Movies.
Full-length movies became available on the iTunes Store. -
iPhone.
The first iPhone was introduced in 2007.
An iPhone functions as a camera phone, including text messaging and visual voicemail, a portable media player, and an Internet client, with e-mail, web browsing, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The user interface is built around the device's multi-touch screen, including a virtual keyboard rather than a physical one. -
New Font/Album artwork.
Apple modified the iPod interface again with the introduction of the sixth-generation iPod Classic and third-generation iPod Nano by changing the font to Helvetica and, in most cases, splitting the screen in half by displaying the menus on the left and album artwork, photos, or videos on the right (whichever was appropriate for the selected item). -
Lawsuit.
In September 2007, during a lawsuit with patent holding company Burst.com, Apple drew attention to a patent for a similar device that was developed in 1979. Kane Kramer patented the idea of a "plastic music box" in 1979, which he called the IXI. He was unable to secure funding to renew the US$ 120,000 worldwide patent, so it lapsed and Kramer never profited from his idea. -
Wi-Fi
Apple debuted the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on September 2007, in its Media Event entitled "The Beat Goes On..." This service allows users to access the Music Store from either an iPhone or an iPod Touch and download songs directly to the device that can be synced to the user's iTunes Library over a WiFi connection, or, in the case of a iPhone, the telephone network -
First iPod Touch.
The iPod Touch was launched at an event called The Beat Goes On. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line. It is the first iPod with wireless access to the iTunes Store, and also has access to Apple's App Store, enabling content to be purchased and downloaded directly on the device. Apple Inc. has sold over 32 million iPod Touch units as of the end of 2009. -
Lower Cost.
Apple lowered the cost of individual iTunes Plus songs to US$0.99 per song, the same as DRM encoded tracks. -
App. Store.
Third-party applications are available from the App Store, which launched in 2008 and now has well over 200,000 "apps" approved by Apple. These apps have diverse functionalities, including games, reference, GPS navigation, social networking, and advertising for television shows, films, and celebrities. -
DMR 80% Removed.
Apple announced that DRM has been removed from 80% of the music catalog, and that it would be removed from all music by April 2009.
