When the iPhone 3GS came out, it boasted an upgraded processor, a new camera and even the ability to record videos and send and receive multi-media messages. As with every new Apple product, some welcomed the iPhone 3GS, others hated it. It kept the same design as its previous model, the iPhone 3G, but the lack of a redesign didn’t keep fans from lining up outside of Apple stores to purchase the newest item. Even when the new iPhone 4S came out, it kept the same design as last years model but added some upgraded features. Yet if it were not for the iPod and the success it had during the early 2000s, Apple may have never launched its most successful products.

The iPod Effect

It was created to be simple, sophisticated and revolutionary. The original iPod had a black and white screen and had a few buttons grazing the front of the item. You could scroll music with the scroll wheel while you switched songs with the forward or back buttons. What impressed fans was not the design of the product, but what it could do. The original iPod held thousands of songs in your hand. It eliminated the need of bulky CD covers and instead digitized your entire music album. The original iPod had some mild success, but its $400 price tag, 5GB hard drive and compatibility with only Mac computers scared customers away.

Still, the original iPod launched a digital revolution much like Napster did in the 90s. The iPod’s success would even help carve out its own section in retail stores titled “iPods” allowing customers to buy ipod touch cases, headphones, screen protectors and stereo systems.

The iPhone

Apple’s stock was on the rise and the success of its iPod and computer lineup had the company set in great financial situation. When the original iPhone released, it was packed with features that changed how phones were created: easy to use touch screens, built-in GPS systems, a built-in iPod, visual voicemail and applications. Each year the iPhone received upgrades, and each year third-party companies built new accessories, or simply used older cases for new iPones, as with the situation with iphone 3gs cases.

The iPad

People called the iPad a bigger iPhone, but Apple marketed the product as the in between product from a smart phone and a computer. No longer did you have to turn on your computer to check e-mails or surf the web; you could turn on your iPad send an email or watch a movie without having to wait for your computer to load. The iPad created a simple, convenient tablet that people could use for entertainment. It worked. People loved the device for its simplicity and accessibility.

The iPod may have started off as just another MP3 player, but it did so much more for Apple than just revolutionize the digital age. The iPod helped Apple regain its popularity, and the little MP3 player paved the way for Apple’s other popular devices.