iPod touch 1st Generation (2007): History and Specs
The iPhone interface on an iPod
At an event in San Francisco on 5 September 2007, Apple unveiled the iPod touch and described it as the first iPod with Wi-Fi. It brought the iPhone's 3.5-inch widescreen Multi-Touch display, at 480 × 320 pixels and 163 ppi, to the iPod line, with a single physical Home button below the screen. MacRumors dates general retail availability to 14 September 2007. Launch prices were US$299 for 8GB and US$399 for 16GB of flash storage; a 32GB model followed on 5 February 2008 at US$499.
Hardware
The enclosure measured 110 × 61.8 × 8 mm and weighed 120 g. An accelerometer switched the view between portrait and landscape, and an ambient light sensor adjusted screen brightness. Wireless networking was 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. The dock connector handled USB 2.0 syncing and charging, and a 3.5 mm jack carried audio. There were no external volume buttons and no built-in speaker; both were added in the second generation. Apple rated battery life at up to 22 hours of audio or 5 hours of video playback.
Software at launch and in 2008
The original home screen held Music, Videos, Photos, iTunes, Safari, YouTube, Calendar, Contacts, Clock, Calculator and Settings. The iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store allowed songs to be bought over a wireless connection, with free access in participating US Starbucks stores, and Cover Flow displayed album art when the device was turned sideways. On 15 January 2008 Apple released a software upgrade that added Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes, along with Web Clips and a customisable home screen. Existing owners paid US$19.99 for it, while new units shipped with it installed. The last software version the model supported was iPhone OS 3.1.3.
Reception and replacement
Reviews at launch generally praised the display, the full Safari browser and YouTube support, while critics described the device as a stripped-down iPhone and pointed to the missing volume buttons. Apple replaced it with the second-generation iPod touch on 9 September 2008.
Specifications
| Announced | 5 September 2007 |
|---|---|
| Launch price (US) | US$299 (8 GB), US$399 (16 GB); 32 GB at US$499 from 5 February 2008 |
| Capacity | 8, 16 or 32 GB flash memory |
| Display | 3.5-inch Multi-Touch display, 480 × 320 pixels at 163 ppi |
| Battery | Up to 22 hours of music or 5 hours of video |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g |
| Connectors | Dock connector, 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Size | 110 × 61.8 × 8 mm (4.3 × 2.4 × 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 120 g (4.2 oz) |
| Works with | Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later; Windows Vista or XP (SP2) |
| Model number | A1213 |
Figures from Apple's published technical specifications. Where Apple lists only inches and ounces, metric values are converted and rounded.
How to identify it
- A flat back and no volume buttons — they arrived with the second generation, along with a speaker.
- Model number A1213 (September 2007; the 32 GB model followed in February 2008).
Where to find the model number and serial number: how to identify a used iPod.