iPod shuffle 3rd Generation (2009): History and Specs
Controls moved to the cord
Apple announced the third-generation iPod shuffle on 11 March 2009 and shipped it the same day. Apple said it was nearly half the size of the previous model: it measured 45.2 × 17.5 × 7.8 mm including a stainless steel clip and weighed 10.7 g in anodised aluminium. The launch model held 4GB, about 1,000 songs at 128 kbps AAC, and cost US$79 in silver or black.
The body had no buttons. A single three-position switch selected Off, Play in Order or Shuffle, next to one status light. Playback was handled by a three-button remote on the cord of the supplied Apple Earphones, which played and paused, changed volume, skipped tracks and switched playlists. The headphone socket also served as the USB connection through a short supplied cable.
VoiceOver and playlists
With no screen, the player used VoiceOver to speak song titles, artists, playlist names and status information such as battery level through the earphones. At launch it supported 14 languages; Apple's later specification lists 21. It was also the first iPod shuffle to support playlists. Apple rated the battery at up to 10 hours of playback, with a full charge in about three hours and 80 per cent in two. Supported formats included AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless, AIFF, WAV and Audible.
Range changes and criticism
On 9 September 2009 Apple added a 2GB model at US$59, kept the 4GB model at US$79 and extended the colours to silver, black, pink, blue and green. A polished stainless steel 4GB edition at US$99 was sold only through Apple's online and retail stores.
The earphone-based controls drew criticism. In March 2009 The Register reported that a chip sat beneath the remote's buttons and that ordinary headphones could not control the player. Third-party headphones with compatible remotes appeared, and Belkin and Scosche made adapters for using other headphones.
Replacement
Apple replaced the model on 1 September 2010 with a fourth-generation iPod shuffle that put clickable buttons back on the body and kept VoiceOver.
Specifications
| Announced | 11 March 2009, shipped the same day |
|---|---|
| Launch price (US) | US$79 (4 GB); 2 GB at US$59 from 9 September 2009 |
| Capacity | 2 GB or 4 GB flash memory |
| Display | None — VoiceOver speaks song titles and playlists |
| Controls | Three-position switch on the body; playback controls on the Apple Earphones with Remote |
| Battery | Up to 10 hours of music |
| Connectors | Headphone port, also used for USB syncing and charging with the included cable |
| Size | 45.2 × 17.5 × 7.8 mm including clip (1.8 × 0.7 × 0.3 in) |
| Weight | 10.7 g (0.38 oz); 17.2 g (0.61 oz) for the stainless steel edition |
| Colours | Silver or black at launch; pink, blue and green from September 2009; a polished stainless steel 4 GB edition from Apple |
| Works with | Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later; Windows Vista or XP (SP3) |
| Model number | A1271 |
Figures from Apple's published technical specifications. Where Apple lists only inches and ounces, metric values are converted and rounded.
How to identify it
- No buttons on the body apart from a three-position switch: off, play in order, shuffle.
- One status light (earlier shuffles had two) and a clip like the second generation's.
- Model number A1271.
Where to find the model number and serial number: how to identify a used iPod.