iPod mini 2nd Generation (2005): History and Specs
A lower price and a 6GB model
Apple introduced the second-generation iPod mini on 23 February 2005, just over a year after the original, and made it available worldwide immediately. The range was split into a 4GB model, holding about 1,000 songs, at US$199 and a new 6GB model, holding about 1,500 songs, at US$249. The 4GB price was therefore US$50 lower than at the first model's launch. Colours were silver, pink, blue and green; gold was dropped, and the remaining colours became brighter.
How to tell it apart
Outwardly the mini kept its anodised aluminium body, 3.6 × 2.0 × 0.54-inch size, 3.6-ounce weight, 1.67-inch monochrome screen at 138 × 110 pixels and Click Wheel. The easiest identifiers are the lettering on the Click Wheel, now matched to the case colour, and the drive capacity engraved on the back. Storage remained a Microdrive hard disk, with skip protection of up to 25 minutes and standby time of about one month. Supported audio formats were AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF, WAV and Apple Lossless. The Apple Store offered free laser engraving of two lines of up to 23 characters each.
Battery and what came in the box
Battery life rose from 8 hours to up to 18 hours of music playback. A full charge took about four hours, or two hours to reach 80 per cent, and the player could charge from a computer's USB 2.0 port while syncing. The box now held earbuds, a belt clip case, a dock connector to USB 2.0 cable and a CD with iTunes 4.7.1 for Mac and Windows. A FireWire cable at US$19 and a USB power adapter at US$29 were sold separately, along with a dock and an armband. The mini still worked with both Mac and Windows computers over USB 2.0 or FireWire, and retained both its 3.5 mm headphone jack and a separate remote connector for accessories.
End of the iPod mini
The iPod mini line was discontinued on 7 September 2005, when Apple introduced the flash-based iPod nano as its successor.
Specifications
| Announced | 23 February 2005, available the same day |
|---|---|
| Launch price (US) | US$199 (4 GB), US$249 (6 GB) |
| Capacity | 4 GB or 6 GB Microdrive — about 1,000 or 1,500 songs |
| Display | 1.67-inch monochrome LCD, 138 × 110 pixels |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours of music |
| Connectors | Dock connector (USB 2.0; FireWire with an optional cable), remote connector, headphone jack |
| Size | 91 × 51 × 13 mm (3.6 × 2.0 × 0.5 in) |
| Weight | 102 g (3.6 oz) |
| Colours | Silver, blue, pink or green |
| Works with | Mac OS X 10.2.8 or 10.3.4 or later; Windows 2000 (SP4) or XP (SP2) |
| Model number | A1051 |
Figures from Apple's published technical specifications. Where Apple lists only inches and ounces, metric values are converted and rounded.
How to identify it
- The drive capacity (4 GB or 6 GB) is engraved on the back.
- The Click Wheel labels match the colour of the case.
- No gold version. Model number A1051, shared with the first generation.
Where to find the model number and serial number: how to identify a used iPod.