September 25, 2006: Apple ships its second-generation iPod nano, offering a fancy redesign of the pocket-size original.
“iPod nano is the world’s most popular digital music player, and we’ve completely redesigned it to make it even better,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a press release. “The all-new iPod nano gives music fans more of what they love in their iPods.”
Among the new iPod nano’s improvements are a slimmer, anodized aluminum casing; a brighter screen; longer battery life; and a wide range of colors. And, oh yes, it also includes gapless music playback for the first time!
iPod lineup expands with second-generation iPod nano
In 2006, no Apple product burned brighter than the iPod. With the iPhone still a secret project, the dedicated digital music player drove Apple to astonishing new heights in popularity and value. Plus, the small audio device played a pivotal role in the transition to digital music.
Introduced in September 2005, the iPod nano replaced the iPod mini with what seemed like an unbelievably small device. For the second-generation model, Apple upgraded the case from plastic to scratch-resistant aluminum.
The second-gen music player also received an upgrade in the color department. The original iPod nano came only in black or white. But the sequel came in five colors: black, green, blue, silver and pink. A limited-edition iPod nano (Product) Red version came later with support from U2 lead singer Bono.
Specs of the colorful aluminum music player
In addition, the second-generation iPod nano bumped up storage to include an 8GB option, alongside the original 2GB and 4GB models. In keeping with Apple’s environmental aspirations (which were admittedly less pronounced under Steve Jobs than they would become under current CEO Tim Cook), Apple claimed the packaging was “32% lighter with 52% less volume than the first generation.”
Along with increased storage options came a battery life upgrade from 14 to 24 hours, a new search option in the user interface, the aforementioned gapless playback, and a display that shone an impressive 40% brighter than its predecessor.
In some senses, 2006 marked peak iPod. The following year, by the time of the third-gen nano’s release, Apple had cannibalized the product line with the very first iPhone. While the iPod continued to receive upgrades and variants, it lost its place as Apple’s primary focus.
Apple discontinued the iPod nano on July 27, 2017, citing a lack of consumer interest. And on May 10, 2022, Apple finally pulled the plug on the iPod product line.
Did you own an iPod nano? Leave your comments below.
