Apple Sunset

iPod (2nd generation, Touch Wheel)

Discontinued 28 Apr 2003

Released

Aug 2002

Announced

17 Jul 2002

Launch price from

$399

Discontinued

28 Apr 2003

Lifespan

9 months

Category
iPod
Status
Discontinued
Apple support status
Obsolete (Apple no longer services it)
Release type
Refresh of an existing model
Previous model
iPod (1st generation, Scroll Wheel)
Replaced by
iPod (3rd generation, Dock Connector)
Official Apple page
No longer available on Apple’s website
Tech specs
No longer available from Apple
Press release
Apple Newsroom ↗
More information
iPod Classic on Wikipedia ↗

Notes

The iPod (2nd generation) came in 10GB at $399 and 20GB at $499, the larger one holding around 4,000 songs. Apple replaced the rotating scroll wheel with what it called the industry’s first solid-state touch wheel, which read a thumb moving across it without anything turning underneath.

Windows support was introduced on the iPod (2nd generation), which Steve Jobs called the biggest news of the announcement. Apple had not written iTunes for Windows by then, so those boxes contained MusicMatch Jukebox instead, made by another company, along with a FireWire adapter to suit a PC.

The 10GB model was about 10% thinner than the one before it. A carrying case and a wired remote were now included rather than sold separately.

Apple kept the original 5GB model on sale underneath at $299, still with its old rotating wheel, so for nine months the shops held both kinds of iPod at once.

It was announced on 17 July 2002 at Macworld Expo in New York. The Mac version was released in early August and the Windows version in late August, priced from $399.

The model it replaced was the iPod (1st generation).

More in iPod

Release history

All iPod →

iPod release history

  1. 2014

  2. 9 Sept 2014

    iPod Classic 160GB (Late 2009) Discontinued

  3. ↑ about 5 years later
  4. 2009

  5. 9 Sept 2009

    iPod Classic 160GB (Late 2009) Released

    iPod Classic (120GB) Discontinued

  6. ↑ about 1 year later
  7. 2008

  8. 9 Sept 2008

    iPod Classic (120GB) Released

    iPod Classic Discontinued

  9. ↑ about 1 year later
  10. 2007

  11. 5 Sept 2007

    iPod Classic Released

    iPod (5th generation, Late 2006) Discontinued

    iPod U2 Special Edition Discontinued

  12. ↑ about 1 year later
  13. 2006

  14. 12 Sept 2006

    iPod (5th generation, Late 2006) Released

    iPod (5th generation, with Video) Discontinued

  15. ↑ about 1 year later
  16. 2005

  17. 12 Oct 2005

    iPod with Color Display Discontinued

  18. Oct 2005

    iPod (5th generation, with Video) Released

  19. ↑ 3 months later

  20. 28 Jun 2005

    iPod with Color Display Released

    iPod (4th generation, Click Wheel) Discontinued

    iPod Photo Discontinued

  21. ↑ 8 months later
  22. 2004

  23. Nov 2004

    iPod U2 Special Edition Released

  24. Oct 2004

    iPod Photo Released

  25. ↑ 2 months later

  26. 19 Jul 2004

    iPod (4th generation, Click Wheel) Released

    iPod (3rd generation, Dock Connector) Discontinued

  27. ↑ 1 year, 3 months later
  28. 2003

  29. 2 May 2003

    iPod (3rd generation, Dock Connector) Released

  30. 28 Apr 2003

    iPod (1st generation, Scroll Wheel) Discontinued

    iPod (2nd generation, Touch Wheel) Discontinued

  31. ↑ 9 months later
  32. 2002

  33. Aug 2002

    iPod (2nd generation, Touch Wheel) Released

  34. ↑ 9 months later
  35. 2001

  36. 10 Nov 2001

    iPod (1st generation, Scroll Wheel) Launch

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