The first iPod nano was released on Sept. 7, 2005, and in the six intervening years, it has undergone a lot of changes. In fact, the nano has one of the most mercurial design histories of any Apple product. Here’s a quick look back at the history of the iPod nano over the years in pictures.
var galleryData = [{“title”:”First generation iPod nano, introduced Sept. 7, 2005. Stylistically, it actually bears a striking resemblance to the current iPhone.”,”caption”:””,”thumbnail”:”http:\/\/gigaom2.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/09\/ipod-nano-1g.jpg?w=48&h=48&crop=1″}, {“title”:”Second generation iPod nano, introduced Sept. 12, 2006. The rounded edges and anodized aluminum casing borrows from the earlier iPod mini.”,”caption”:””,”thumbnail”:”http:\/\/gigaom2.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/09\/ipod-nano-2g.jpg?w=48&h=48&crop=1″}, {“title”:”Third generation iPod nano, introduced Sept. 5, 2007. This nano features a squat design, and introduced video playback to the nano for the first time. It also went back to an stainless steel back plate.”,”caption”:””,”thumbnail”:”http:\/\/gigaom2.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/09\/ipod-nano-3g.jpg?w=48&h=48&crop=1″}, {“title”:”Fourth generation iPod nano, introduced Sept. 9, 2008. This went back to the longer design of the 2G nano, and was the thinnest design yet. It also features more tapered edges, and an accelerometer to automatically rotate the song.”,”caption”:””,”thumbnail”:”http:\/\/gigaom2.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/09\/ipod-nano-4g.jpg?w=48&h=48&crop=1″}, {“title”:”Fifth generation iPod nano, introduced Sept. 9, 2009. This nano most closely resembled its predecessor, but came with a larger screen and a video camera, microphone and FM radio. “,”caption”:””,”thumbnail”:”http:\/\/gigaom2.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/09\/ipod-nano-5g.jpg?w=48&h=48&crop=1″}, {“title”:”Sixth generation iPod nano, introduced Sept. 1, 2010. The latest nano is scarcely bigger than the iPod shuffle, and has spawned countless watchband accessories. It actually lost features, including video recording and playback, from previous models, but introduced a touchscreen interface and higher pixel density.”,”caption”:””,”thumbnail”:”http:\/\/gigaom2.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/09\/ipod-nano-6g.jpg?w=48&h=48&crop=1″}];
If Apple sticks to its release schedule for new iPod models, we’ll likely see the seventh generation nano before too long. I’m hoping for an evolutionary take on the most recent nano, with Bluetooth features for wireless pairing with headphones and push notifications from iPhone and iPad devices. What are you looking for from the next iPod nano?
Image credits, in order of oldest to most recent models: Flickr users eheçåtzin, martijnbeijk, Andrew*, marcopako , coolmikeol, and viskas.
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