iPod (1st gen) was released on 10 November 2001.
10 November 2001 · iPod
iPod (1st gen)
iPod Classic
es:Usuario:House · CC BY-SA 3.0
Why it mattered
The first iPod wasn't the first hard-drive player, but it combined a tiny 1.8-inch 5 GB drive, a mechanical scroll wheel and fast FireWire syncing with iTunes into something that just worked. At launch it was Mac-only, which limited sales; Windows support in 2002 and the iTunes Store in 2003 turned it into Apple's growth engine of the 2000s.
Models and prices
| Model / config | Released | Key specs | US launch price | In 2025 dollars (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPod (5 GB) | 10 Nov 2001 | 5 GB HDD, mechanical scroll wheel, FireWire | $399 | ≈ $730 |
| iPod (10 GB) | Mar 2002 | 10 GB HDD | $499 | ≈ $890 |
Inflation-adjusted prices are estimates: launch price × (US CPI-U 2025 annual average 321.943 ÷ CPI-U annual average of the launch year), rounded to the nearest $10. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series CUUR0000SA0. US list prices only; they ignore currency, taxes and carrier subsidies.
What came before and after
Before: iTunes (January 2001). After: iPod 2nd gen (July 2002) with touch-sensitive wheel, iPod mini (2004), iPod nano (2005).
Buying and collecting notes
First-gen iPods are identified by the mechanical wheel that physically rotates. Batteries are almost always dead; original boxes add significant value.
Questions
- When did the first iPod come out?
- Announced 23 October 2001 and on sale 10 November 2001.
- How much was the first iPod?
- $399 for 5 GB, about $730 in 2025 dollars by a US CPI estimate.
- How many songs did the first iPod hold?
- Apple marketed it as '1,000 songs in your pocket'.
- Did the first iPod work with Windows?
- No, it required a Mac; Windows support came with the 2nd generation.
Sources
- Wikipedia: iPod Classic (1st generation)
- EveryMac.com iPod specs
- Apple press release 23 Oct 2001
- BLS CPI-U series CUUR0000SA0 (data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SA0)