The Evolution of the Apple iPod Nano

The first sign that a new Apple iPod nano was on the way occurred when stock of iPod nanos was reportedly running low at stores everywhere. Then it made a headline appearance in search results on Apple's own site early Wednesday ahead of Apple's event. Later that same day, it did indeed take the stage with the iPhone 5 See it at Amazon UK and a new iPod touchSEE IT.

Of all the iPod models, the nano has had the most varied career. It's taken up filmmaking, and it was even a bit of a gamer. It endured a shakeup in 2008 when it got a shake-to-shuffle feature. The nano's design has also changed considerably over the years. It now closely resembles its cousin, the iPod touch. Before that, it went from tall and thin to shorter and squatter and then became immensely tiny (and, at the same time, a total square). It's even become something of a fitness nut lately, thanks to the addition of Nike+.

Now, the nano has revived a bit of its former cinematic career since it once again has the ability to play video (previously available in the third-, fourth-, and fifth-generation models), though not the ability to record video (previously available in the fourth- and fifth-generation models). It hasn't taken up photography as a hobby (yet), but it can display photos (as could the first-, second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-generation nanos). It's a better DJ, streaming music wirelessly to Bluetooth speakers. The music-centric nano, which has playback of 30 hours, also includes an FM tuner and the ability to pause live radio.

Because the iPod nano has been around the block, we thought we'd take a look back at all its recall scandals and its design successes, E! True Hollywood Story-style. Have a snoop through the gallery below.

First Generation

For those who missed the compactness of the iPod mini, there came the iPod nano. At just 3.5-by-1.6 inches and about a quarter inch thick, it was, as its name suggests, even smaller than the mini and held 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB of music. Steve Jobs introduced it on stage in September 2005 and showed how it fit in his jeans' watch pocket. Instead of a hard drive, the nano relied on flash memory. The first-generation nano came in black and white. Those craving the color of the mini could slip the iPod nano into one of Apple's pink, purple, blue, or green Tubes.

The first-generation nano was recalled in November 2011 due to overheating issues. Recallees were probably not too upset since they received a sixth-generation 8-gig nano in its place.

Second Generation

The nano developed a thinner but more resilient skin in its second incarnation in September 2006. Encased in anodized aluminum, it came in six colors—silver, pink, green, blue, black, and a PRODUCT (RED) version for AIDS awareness. Capacity was 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB, but, strangely, the 2GB model came only in silver, the 4GB versions did not come in black, and the 8GB came only in black at first and later in PRODUCT (RED).

Third Generation

The third-generation nano shape-shifted, getting shorter and wider—and, not uncoincidentally, it became better for watching video. With 4GB or 8GB capacity, users could store a few hundred songs and still have room left over to use the nano's newest feature to watch a movie or two on the QVGA screen. They could also admire Apple's latest iOS handiwork with the Cover Flow feature. The third-gen nano was released in September 2007 and came in silver, emerald, turquoise, black, pink, and a PRODUCT (RED) version.

Fourth Generation

The fourth-generation nano came in the widest rainbow (nine colors: silver, black, purple, light blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, and PRODUCT (RED)) and was curved like one. It was available in 8GB or 16GB capacity, with a limited supply of 4GB models in Europe. The nano included a new shake-to-shuffle feature that was made possible by the addition of an accelerometer, spoken menus for the visually impaired, and the Genius playlist. Apple touted the fourth-gen nano's environmental friendliness thanks to its recyclable aluminum enclosure and arsenic-free glass, as well as its lack of brominated flame retardant, mercury, and PVC.

Fifth Generation

While keeping to the same colors as the previous generation, the fifth-generation nano distinguished itself with a polished anodized aluminum finish. More than that, the nano added video-recording capability, along with voice recording, a built-in speaker, an FM radio, and a pedometer. The fifth-gen nano was introduced in September 2008 and came in 8GB and 16GB.

Sixth Generation

The sixth-generation nano seems to have inherited more from the shuffle side of the iPod family than its direct line of nano predecessors. Shrunk to a small, clippable, one-and-a-half-inch square, it lost video capabilities and voice recording (unless users upgraded their earbuds to mic-enabled ones). This latest nano, which was released in September 2010, did gain a touch-screen interface, though. It was available in six colors at 8GB or 16GB.

Seventh Generation

The latest generation of the nano is very much a return to original form. The nano is once again tall and slim and capable of playing videos and holding photo albums. It retains the FM tuner, Nike+ integration, and touch screen of the sixth generation. New to the model is the capability to connect to other devices wirelessly with Bluetooth. It also comes with Apple's EarPods, a much-improved version of its Earphones. The seventh-generation nano comes in eight colors, each with matching wallpaper: slate, silver, purple, pink, yellow, green, blue, and PRODUCT (RED).

About Our Expert

Chandra Steele

Senior Features Writer

My Experience

My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme.

I strive to explain topics that you might come across in the news but not fully understand, such as NFTs and meme stocks. I’ve had the pleasure of talking tech with Jeff Goldblum, Ang Lee, and other celebrities who have brought a different perspective to it. I put great care into writing gift guides and am always touched by the notes I get from people who’ve used them to choose presents that have been well-received. Though I love that I get to write about the tech industry every day, it’s touched by gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequality and I try to bring these topics to light.

Outside of PCMag, I write fiction, poetry, humor, and essays on culture.

My Areas of Expertise

Making incomprehensible tech news easy to understand
Expanding the boundaries of topics covered in the industry
Figuring out tips and tricks in apps and on devices and letting you know about them
Putting together gift guides for everyone in your life

The Technology I Use

All that gadgets is gold for me: my iPhone 11 Pro, my fifth-generation iPad that I use only for streaming videos and music, my iPad mini 4 that I like to take with me whenever I carry a bag that can fit it, and my MacBook Pro. Why are they all different shades of gold, though? What’s going on, Apple?

None of them quite live up to my two past loves: my LG Lotus LX600 phone and my Sony Walkman NW-E005 MP3 player.

I've never given up wired earbuds so I was ahead of all those trend pieces. I use a Mangotek Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack adapter to connect them to my phone.

I have had so many ebook readers, but I prefer paper to them all. Still, my Kindle Paperwhite is perfect for traveling or when I’m too impatient to wait for a book to be released in paperback.

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