Real Networks or Philips have bitten hook

When the iPod, Apple digital music player, was finally ripe for its marketing in 2001, Ben Knauss held that it was time to take his reverence. Computer engineer at PortalPlayer, an essential partner of Apple involved at a high level in the process of development of the iPod, it doubted the chances of success of the project. "It was probably a mistake," he admits. It is not only to be mistaken on the impact of the digital music player released on October 23, 2001 Apple cartons. Equipped with a wheel of navigationincongrue and sold to the exorbitant price of $ 400, iPod first sparked the perplexity of the public and analysts. Since his return to the commands of Apple, in 1997, the founder, Steve Jobs, certainly gave the order in the Affairs of the mark to Apple. But how to interpret this shift to the music, while both remained to be done to increase its share of the market for personal computers, its core business

For a part of Silicon Valley, the prophetic vision of transformation of Apple returned to Tony Fadell, then young designer of mobile devices. "This project that will reshape Apple.". "In ten years, they will be a music company and not a software company", he said at the time where the development of the iPod started barely. Before joining Apple in 2001, Tony Fadell was employed at General Magic, and then joined Philips. He was laid to his account in the hope of convincing a player in the industry to develop a small music player designed around a hard disk and a service for the sale of music on the Internet. Real Networks or Philips have bitten hook. But it was precisely the opportunity that Apple was looking for.

Development in six months

In Apple, it is argued course that the iPod is a home business. It is true that society had begun to take an interest in music. The spectacular success of the free exchange of pieces Napster service was to create a veritable fever on digitization of music. In 2000, Apple bought out SoundJam MP, audio software specially designed for the Mac, and planchait on an application allowing the user to organize music collection on your computer. The first version of iTunes was launched in January 2001.

At the same time, Apple sought to enrich its offer of products of consumer gadgets with the Mac. The company finally threw his vest on digital music players, where huge progress remained to be done. The almost systematic use of the technology of the flash memory manufacturers driving products bulky and impractical, or tiny with limited functions. In February 2001, Apple discovered Toshiba HDD of just 4.5 centimetres in diameter. If the industrialist is undecided as to its use, Apple soon made to understand that it is the technological brick that was missing to launch the assault of this new market. In the aftermath, Apple recruited Tony Fadell as a consultant and the bombarde, then two months later, head of a team of 30 engineers. Objective: to develop the iPod in six months. Because time is short. Steve Jobs wants to surprise the public just in time for end of year celebrations.

No serious competitor

More than 210 million iPod have been sold since. In the United States, the digital player of Apple represents 90 of the market for hard disk drives and more than 70 of the market of readers all combined technologies. Declined in several versions, enriched video functionality, the iPod has become a major source of revenue for Apple. It is singularly devoid of serious competitors. Neither Sony, coming to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Walkman, nor Microsoft, with its Zune device, have managed to find their place in the success of the iPod.

In tandem with the iTunes Music Store online store, the iPod especially helped convince the music industry and Hollywood of the validity of the model for the sale of content on the Internet. So early in the year, Apple announced the abandonment of the music files locking system required so far by the labels to prevent illegal distribution of their content.