The iPod in 2006: Year in Review
iTunes milestones
On 23 February 2006 Apple announced that one billion songs had been downloaded from the iTunes Music Store since its 2003 launch. The billionth was Coldplay's "Speed of Sound", bought by Alex Ostrovsky of West Bloomfield, Michigan. On 12 September 2006 Apple released iTunes 7, with Cover Flow and gapless playback, and the store, now renamed the iTunes Store, began selling more than 75 films from Disney, Pixar, Touchstone and Miramax.
New products and editions
The iPod Hi-Fi speaker system was introduced on 28 February at US$349. On 23 May Nike and Apple announced the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, a US$29 accessory that let Nike+ running shoes communicate with an iPod nano. A 30 GB iPod U2 Special Edition followed on 6 June at US$329.
The main launches came on 12 September. The second-generation iPod nano had an aluminium case, up to 24 hours of battery life and three capacities: 2 GB in silver for US$149, 4 GB in silver, pink, green or blue for US$199, and 8 GB in black for US$249. The second-generation iPod shuffle, a 1 GB aluminium player with a built-in clip priced at US$79, was about half the size of the original and went on sale on 3 November. The full-size iPod gained a brighter screen, a Search feature and a new 80 GB model, priced at US$249 for 30 GB and US$349 for 80 GB. On 13 October Apple added the iPod nano (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition, a 4 GB model at US$199 from which US$10 per sale went to the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Advertising
Early in 2006 Apple aired "Cubicle", a 30-second spot that highlighted album artwork and closed with the iPod nano slogan. In August an iPod and iTunes commercial showed Bob Dylan performing "Someday Baby" from his album Modern Times. In November an iPod shuffle advertisement used "Who's Gonna Sing?" by Prototypes, and another spot marked the launch of iTunes Latino.
Sales
In September 2006 Steve Jobs said Apple had sold 10 million first-generation iPod shuffles. In the quarter ended 30 December 2006 Apple shipped 21,066,000 iPods, 50 per cent more than in the same quarter a year earlier.
Models introduced in 2006
iPod commercials of 2006
- Wynton Marsalis “Sparks” iPod Commercial (2006)
- Rinocerose “Cubicle” iPod nano Commercial (2006)
- Wolfmother “Love Train” iPod Commercial (2006)
- Bob Dylan “Someday Baby” iPod Commercial (2006)
- Cut Chemist “The Audience Is Listening Theme Song” iPod nano Commercial
- Prototypes “Who’s Gonna Sing?” iPod shuffle Commercial (2006)