The History of the iPod nano
The History of the iPod nano and All Its Models
Last Updated: Feb. 5, 2015
The iPod nano wasn't the first smaller-sized iPod Apple introduced after the runaway success of the classic iPod lineup—that was the iPod Mini. But after two generations of the Mini, the nano replaced it hasn't looked back.
The iPod nano is now the iPod of choice for people who want a balance of small size, light weight, and great features. While the original nano was simply a music player, later models have added a wealth of terrific features, including an FM radio, a video camera, integration with the Nike+ exercise platform, podcast support, and the ability to display photos.
This article shows how the iPod nano has evolved over time by tracing its evolution model by model, feature by feature.
iPod nano (1st Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2005 (2GB and 4GB models); Feb. 2006 (1GB model)
Discontinued: Sept. 2006
The device that started it all. The 1st generation iPod nano replaced the iPod mini as the low-cost, relatively low-capacity, smaller, entry-level model. It was a small, thin iPod with a small color screen and a USB connector.
The first-generation iPod nano had rounded corners, as opposed to the slightly sharper of the second-generation models.
The 2nd gen. models are also slightly smaller than the first generation. Headphone and dock connector ports are both located on the bottom of the nano. It used a clickwheel to scroll through menus and control music playback.
Screen Lawsuit
Some nanos initially had a screen that was prone to scratching; some also cracked. Many users reported the screen becoming unreadable due to scratches. Apple said that a tenth of 1% of nanos had defective, especially scratchable screens, and replaced cracked screens and provided cases to protect the screens. Some nano owners filed a class action suit against Apple, which the company eventually settled. Nano owners who participated in the suit received between US$15 and $25 in most cases.
First-Generation nano Specifications
Capacity
1GB (about 240 songs)
2GB (about 500 songs)
4GB (about 1,000 songs)
Solid state Flash memory
Screen
176 x 132
1.5 inches
65,000 colors
Battery
14 hours
Colors
Black
White
Supported Media Formats
Connectors
Dock Connector
Dimensions
1.6 x 3.5 x 0.27 inches
Weight
1.5 ounces
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.3.4 or newer
Windows: Windows 2000 or XP or newer
Price
US$149 - 1GB
$199 - 2GB
$249 - 4GB
iPod nano (2nd Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2006
Discontinued: Sept. 2007
Read the Review
The second generation iPod nano arrived on the scene just a year after its predecessor, bringing with it improvements to it size, new colors, and a changed location of its heaphone port.
The second-generation nano has corners that are slightly sharper than the rounded corners used in the first-generation model. These models are also slightly smaller than the first generation.
Headphone and dock connector ports are both located on the bottom of the iPod.
In response to the scratching problems that plagued some 1st generation models, the 2nd generation nano included a scratch-resistant casing. Like its predecessor, it used a clickwheel to control the nano and was able to display photos. This model added support for gapless playback.
Capacity
2 GB (about 500 songs)
4 GB (about 1,000 songs)
8 GB (about 2,000 songs)
Solid state Flash memory
Screen
176 x 132
1.5 inches
65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
Battery
24 hours
Colors
silver (2 GB model only)
black (8 GB model only came in black initially)
magenta
green
blue
red (added for 8 GB model only in Nov. 2006)
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
3.5 x 1.6 x 0.26 inches
Weight
1.41 ounces
Requirements
Mac:Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher; iTunes 7 or higher
Windows:Windows 2000 or XP or higher; iTunes 7 or higher
Price
2 GB - US$149
4 GB - $199
8 GB - $249
iPod nano (3rd Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2007
Discontinued: Sept. 2008
Read the Review
The 3rd Generation iPod nano began a trend that would continue throughout virtually the rest of the nano line: major changes with each model.
The 3rd generation model ushered in a drastic redesign of the nano line, which made the device squatter and closer to a square than the previous rectangular models. A key reason for this was to make the device's screen larger (2 inches vs.
1.76 inches on earlier models) to allow for video playback. This version of the nano supports video in H.264 and MPEG-4 formats, as other iPods that played video at that time did. This model also introduced CoverFlow as a means of navigating content on the iPod.
Capacity
4 GB (about 1,000 songs)
8 GB (about 2,000 songs)
solid-state Flash memory
Screen
320 x 240
2 inches
65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
Colors
Silver (4 GB model only available in silver)
Red
Green
Blue
Pink (8 GB model only; released Jan. 2008)
Black
Battery Life
Audio - 24 hours
Video - 5 hours
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
2.75 x 2.06 x 0.26 inches
Weight
1.74 ounces.
Requirements
Mac:Mac OS X 10.4.8 or higher; iTunes 7.4 or higher
Windows:Windows Vista or XP or higher; iTunes 7.4 or higher
Price
US$149 - 4 GB
$199 - 8 GB
iPod nano (4th Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2008
Discontinued: Sept. 2009
The Fourth Generation iPod nano returned to the rectangular shape of the original models, being taller than its immediate predecessor, and brought back the slight rounding on the front.
The Fourth Generation iPod nano sports a 2-inch diagonal screen. This screen, however, is taller than it is long, unlike the third-generation model, which was squat and nearly square.
The fourth generation iPod nano adds three new features that previous models didn't have: a screen that can be viewed in both portrait and landscape mode, integrated Genius functionality and the ability to shake the iPod to shuffle songs. The shake-to-shuffle feature is thanks to a built-in accelerometer similar to the one used in the iPhone to provide feedback based on a user's physical manipulation of the device.
It also adds support for recording voice memos using an external mic or Apple's new in-ear headphones, which have a mic attached to them. It also offers the option to have some menu items spoken through the headphones.
Capacity
8 GB (About 2,000 songs)
16 GB (About 4,000 songs)
solid-state Flash memory
Screen
320 x 240
2 inches
65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
Colors
Black
Silver
Purple
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
Pink
Battery Life
Audio - 24 hours
Video - 4 hours
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
3.6 x 1.5 x 0.24 inches
Weight
1.3 ounces.
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher; iTunes 8 or higher
Windows:Windows Vista or XP or higher; iTunes 8 or higher
Price
US$149 - 8 GB
$199 - 16 GB
iPod nano (5th Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2009
Discontinued: Sept. 2010
Read the Review
While the Fifth Generation iPod nano looked fairly similar to the fourth, it differs from its predecessors in a number of important ways, most notably thanks to the addition of a camera that can record video and its slightly larger screen.
The Fifth Generation iPod nano sports a 2.2-inch diagonal screen, slightly larger than its predecessor's 2-inch screen.
This screen is taller than it is long.
Other new features available on the fifth generation iPod nano that weren't available on previous models include:
Capacity
8 GB (about 2,000 songs)
16 GB (about 4,000 songs)
solid-state Flash memory
Screen
376 x 240 pixels vertically
2.2 inches
support for displaying 65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
Video Recording
640 x 480, at 30 frames per second, H.264 standard
Colors
Grey
Black
Purple
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
Pink
Connectors
Dock Connector
Dimensions
3.6 x 1.5 x 0.24 inches
Weight
1.28 ounces
Battery Life
24 hours - audio playback
5 hours - video playback
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher; iTunes 9 or higher
Windows: Windows Vista or XP or higher; iTunes 9 or higher
Price
US$149 - 8 GB
$179 - 16 GB
Availability
Released: September 2010
Discontinued: October 2012
Read the Review
Another radical redesign. Like the third generation model, the 6th Generation iPod nano is dramatically different in look from other nanos. It's shrunk compared to its predecessor and adds a multi-touch screen covering the face of the device. Thanks to its new size, the nano now sports a clip on its back, like the Shuffle.
Other changes include being 46% smaller and 42% lighter than the 5th generation model, and the inclusion of an accelerometer.
Like the previous model, the 6th generation nano includes Shake to Shuffle, an FM tuner, and Nike+ support. Where the previous model included a video camera, this model does not. It also drops support for video playback, which older models offered.
Oct. 2011 Update - In Oct. 2011, Apple released a software update for the 6th generation iPod nano that added the following to the device:
This model of the nano appears to run iOS, the same operating system that runs on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Unlike those devices, though, users cannot install third-party apps on the 6th generation nano.
Capacity
8GB (about 2,000 songs)
16GB (about 4,000 songs)
sold-state Flash memory
Screen Size
240 x 240
1.54 inch multi-touch
Supported Media Formats
Colors
Gray
Black
Blue
Green
Orange
Pink
Red
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
1.48 x 1.61 x 0.74 inches
Weight
0.74 ounces
Battery Life
24 hours audio
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher; iTunes 10 or higher
Windows:Windows 7, Vista, or XP or higher; iTunes 10 or higher
Price
US$129 - 8 GB
$149 - 16 GB
Related Articles
Availability
Release date: Oct. 2012
Discontinued: N/A, still being sold
Read the Review
Compare Prices at multiple stores
As you know by now, every generation of the iPod nano has been fairly different from the one that came before it. Whether it was the third generation model becoming a square after the second generation's stick-of-gum, or the 6th generation shrinking to smaller than a match book after the 5th generation's vertical orientation, change is a constant with the nano.
So it should be no surprise that the 7th generation model is pretty different from the sixth. It retains some things—like the multitouch screen and the core music-player features—but it many other ways, it's very different.
The 7th generation model has the largest screen ever offered on a nano, has only a single storage capacity (previous generations often had two or three capacities available), and, like the 6th generation model, has a number of built-in apps that provide functionality. While there is still no support for third-party apps, a la the iPhone or iPod touch, the 7th generation nano looks more and more like a mini touch.
The 7th generation nano adds the following features:
As with previous nanos, this generation still offers core features including music and podcast playback, photo display, and an FM radio tuner.
Storage Capacity
16GB
Screen
2.5 inches
240 x 432 pixels
Multitouch
Battery Life
30 hours audio
3.5 hours video
Colors
Black
Silver
Purple
Blue
Green
Yellow
Red
Size and Weight
3.01 inches tall by 1.56 inches wide by 0.21 inches deep
Weight: 1.1 ounces
Price
US$149
Related Articles
Last Updated: Feb. 5, 2015
The iPod nano wasn't the first smaller-sized iPod Apple introduced after the runaway success of the classic iPod lineup—that was the iPod Mini. But after two generations of the Mini, the nano replaced it hasn't looked back.
The iPod nano is now the iPod of choice for people who want a balance of small size, light weight, and great features. While the original nano was simply a music player, later models have added a wealth of terrific features, including an FM radio, a video camera, integration with the Nike+ exercise platform, podcast support, and the ability to display photos.
This article shows how the iPod nano has evolved over time by tracing its evolution model by model, feature by feature.
iPod nano (1st Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2005 (2GB and 4GB models); Feb. 2006 (1GB model)
Discontinued: Sept. 2006
The device that started it all. The 1st generation iPod nano replaced the iPod mini as the low-cost, relatively low-capacity, smaller, entry-level model. It was a small, thin iPod with a small color screen and a USB connector.
The first-generation iPod nano had rounded corners, as opposed to the slightly sharper of the second-generation models.
The 2nd gen. models are also slightly smaller than the first generation. Headphone and dock connector ports are both located on the bottom of the nano. It used a clickwheel to scroll through menus and control music playback.
Screen Lawsuit
Some nanos initially had a screen that was prone to scratching; some also cracked. Many users reported the screen becoming unreadable due to scratches. Apple said that a tenth of 1% of nanos had defective, especially scratchable screens, and replaced cracked screens and provided cases to protect the screens. Some nano owners filed a class action suit against Apple, which the company eventually settled. Nano owners who participated in the suit received between US$15 and $25 in most cases.
First-Generation nano Specifications
Capacity
1GB (about 240 songs)
2GB (about 500 songs)
4GB (about 1,000 songs)
Solid state Flash memory
Screen
176 x 132
1.5 inches
65,000 colors
Battery
14 hours
Colors
Black
White
Supported Media Formats
- Audio: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, MP3, WAV
- Images: Bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
Connectors
Dock Connector
Dimensions
1.6 x 3.5 x 0.27 inches
Weight
1.5 ounces
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.3.4 or newer
Windows: Windows 2000 or XP or newer
Price
US$149 - 1GB
$199 - 2GB
$249 - 4GB
iPod nano (2nd Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2006
Discontinued: Sept. 2007
Read the Review
The second generation iPod nano arrived on the scene just a year after its predecessor, bringing with it improvements to it size, new colors, and a changed location of its heaphone port.
The second-generation nano has corners that are slightly sharper than the rounded corners used in the first-generation model. These models are also slightly smaller than the first generation.
Headphone and dock connector ports are both located on the bottom of the iPod.
In response to the scratching problems that plagued some 1st generation models, the 2nd generation nano included a scratch-resistant casing. Like its predecessor, it used a clickwheel to control the nano and was able to display photos. This model added support for gapless playback.
Capacity
2 GB (about 500 songs)
4 GB (about 1,000 songs)
8 GB (about 2,000 songs)
Solid state Flash memory
Screen
176 x 132
1.5 inches
65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
- Audio: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, MP3, WAV
- Images: Bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
Battery
24 hours
Colors
silver (2 GB model only)
black (8 GB model only came in black initially)
magenta
green
blue
red (added for 8 GB model only in Nov. 2006)
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
3.5 x 1.6 x 0.26 inches
Weight
1.41 ounces
Requirements
Mac:Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher; iTunes 7 or higher
Windows:Windows 2000 or XP or higher; iTunes 7 or higher
Price
2 GB - US$149
4 GB - $199
8 GB - $249
iPod nano (3rd Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2007
Discontinued: Sept. 2008
Read the Review
The 3rd Generation iPod nano began a trend that would continue throughout virtually the rest of the nano line: major changes with each model.
The 3rd generation model ushered in a drastic redesign of the nano line, which made the device squatter and closer to a square than the previous rectangular models. A key reason for this was to make the device's screen larger (2 inches vs.
1.76 inches on earlier models) to allow for video playback. This version of the nano supports video in H.264 and MPEG-4 formats, as other iPods that played video at that time did. This model also introduced CoverFlow as a means of navigating content on the iPod.
Capacity
4 GB (about 1,000 songs)
8 GB (about 2,000 songs)
solid-state Flash memory
Screen
320 x 240
2 inches
65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
- Audio: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV
- Images: Bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
- Video: H.264, MPEG-4
Colors
Silver (4 GB model only available in silver)
Red
Green
Blue
Pink (8 GB model only; released Jan. 2008)
Black
Battery Life
Audio - 24 hours
Video - 5 hours
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
2.75 x 2.06 x 0.26 inches
Weight
1.74 ounces.
Requirements
Mac:Mac OS X 10.4.8 or higher; iTunes 7.4 or higher
Windows:Windows Vista or XP or higher; iTunes 7.4 or higher
Price
US$149 - 4 GB
$199 - 8 GB
iPod nano (4th Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2008
Discontinued: Sept. 2009
The Fourth Generation iPod nano returned to the rectangular shape of the original models, being taller than its immediate predecessor, and brought back the slight rounding on the front.
The Fourth Generation iPod nano sports a 2-inch diagonal screen. This screen, however, is taller than it is long, unlike the third-generation model, which was squat and nearly square.
The fourth generation iPod nano adds three new features that previous models didn't have: a screen that can be viewed in both portrait and landscape mode, integrated Genius functionality and the ability to shake the iPod to shuffle songs. The shake-to-shuffle feature is thanks to a built-in accelerometer similar to the one used in the iPhone to provide feedback based on a user's physical manipulation of the device.
It also adds support for recording voice memos using an external mic or Apple's new in-ear headphones, which have a mic attached to them. It also offers the option to have some menu items spoken through the headphones.
Capacity
8 GB (About 2,000 songs)
16 GB (About 4,000 songs)
solid-state Flash memory
Screen
320 x 240
2 inches
65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
- Audio: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV
- Images: Bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
- Video: H.264, MPEG-4
Colors
Black
Silver
Purple
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
Pink
Battery Life
Audio - 24 hours
Video - 4 hours
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
3.6 x 1.5 x 0.24 inches
Weight
1.3 ounces.
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher; iTunes 8 or higher
Windows:Windows Vista or XP or higher; iTunes 8 or higher
Price
US$149 - 8 GB
$199 - 16 GB
iPod nano (5th Generation) Specs, Features & Hardware
Availability
Released: Sept. 2009
Discontinued: Sept. 2010
Read the Review
While the Fifth Generation iPod nano looked fairly similar to the fourth, it differs from its predecessors in a number of important ways, most notably thanks to the addition of a camera that can record video and its slightly larger screen.
The Fifth Generation iPod nano sports a 2.2-inch diagonal screen, slightly larger than its predecessor's 2-inch screen.
This screen is taller than it is long.
Other new features available on the fifth generation iPod nano that weren't available on previous models include:
- A built-in FM tuner
- A pedometer with Nike+ syncing
- Genius Mix support
- VoiceOver support
Capacity
8 GB (about 2,000 songs)
16 GB (about 4,000 songs)
solid-state Flash memory
Screen
376 x 240 pixels vertically
2.2 inches
support for displaying 65,000 colors
Supported Media Formats
- Audio: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV
- Images: Bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
- Video: H.264, MPEG-4
Video Recording
640 x 480, at 30 frames per second, H.264 standard
Colors
Grey
Black
Purple
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
Pink
Connectors
Dock Connector
Dimensions
3.6 x 1.5 x 0.24 inches
Weight
1.28 ounces
Battery Life
24 hours - audio playback
5 hours - video playback
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher; iTunes 9 or higher
Windows: Windows Vista or XP or higher; iTunes 9 or higher
Price
US$149 - 8 GB
$179 - 16 GB
Availability
Released: September 2010
Discontinued: October 2012
Read the Review
Another radical redesign. Like the third generation model, the 6th Generation iPod nano is dramatically different in look from other nanos. It's shrunk compared to its predecessor and adds a multi-touch screen covering the face of the device. Thanks to its new size, the nano now sports a clip on its back, like the Shuffle.
Other changes include being 46% smaller and 42% lighter than the 5th generation model, and the inclusion of an accelerometer.
Like the previous model, the 6th generation nano includes Shake to Shuffle, an FM tuner, and Nike+ support. Where the previous model included a video camera, this model does not. It also drops support for video playback, which older models offered.
Oct. 2011 Update - In Oct. 2011, Apple released a software update for the 6th generation iPod nano that added the following to the device:
- The ability to change the display preference to show 1 large app instead of group of 4
- A new Nike+ app that removes need for shoe sensors
- 16 new styles for the clock app
This model of the nano appears to run iOS, the same operating system that runs on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Unlike those devices, though, users cannot install third-party apps on the 6th generation nano.
Capacity
8GB (about 2,000 songs)
16GB (about 4,000 songs)
sold-state Flash memory
Screen Size
240 x 240
1.54 inch multi-touch
Supported Media Formats
- Audio: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV
- Images: Bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PNG, PSD (Mac only), TIFF
Colors
Gray
Black
Blue
Green
Orange
Pink
Red
Connectors
Dock connector
Dimensions
1.48 x 1.61 x 0.74 inches
Weight
0.74 ounces
Battery Life
24 hours audio
Requirements
Mac: Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher; iTunes 10 or higher
Windows:Windows 7, Vista, or XP or higher; iTunes 10 or higher
Price
US$129 - 8 GB
$149 - 16 GB
Related Articles
- Five Differences between 5th and 6th Generation iPod nano
- How To Rotate the Screen on the 6th Generation iPod nano
Availability
Release date: Oct. 2012
Discontinued: N/A, still being sold
Read the Review
Compare Prices at multiple stores
As you know by now, every generation of the iPod nano has been fairly different from the one that came before it. Whether it was the third generation model becoming a square after the second generation's stick-of-gum, or the 6th generation shrinking to smaller than a match book after the 5th generation's vertical orientation, change is a constant with the nano.
So it should be no surprise that the 7th generation model is pretty different from the sixth. It retains some things—like the multitouch screen and the core music-player features—but it many other ways, it's very different.
The 7th generation model has the largest screen ever offered on a nano, has only a single storage capacity (previous generations often had two or three capacities available), and, like the 6th generation model, has a number of built-in apps that provide functionality. While there is still no support for third-party apps, a la the iPhone or iPod touch, the 7th generation nano looks more and more like a mini touch.
7th Generation iPod nano Features
The 7th generation nano adds the following features:
- A 2.5-inch multitouch screen
- Video playback
- Bluetooth, for wireless audio streaming to headphones, speakers, and car stereo adapters
- A Home button that functions the same way that the Home button does on an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad
- Integrated Nike+ with Bluetooth connection to heart monitors
- Lightning dock connector for improved versatility of data transfer and recharging
- Apple's new EarPods headphones
- Thin, light enclosure
As with previous nanos, this generation still offers core features including music and podcast playback, photo display, and an FM radio tuner.
Storage Capacity
16GB
Screen
2.5 inches
240 x 432 pixels
Multitouch
Battery Life
30 hours audio
3.5 hours video
Colors
Black
Silver
Purple
Blue
Green
Yellow
Red
Size and Weight
3.01 inches tall by 1.56 inches wide by 0.21 inches deep
Weight: 1.1 ounces
Price
US$149
Related Articles
- How to Reboot 7th and 6th Generation iPod nano
- How to Re-Arrange Icons on the 6th & 7th Generation nano
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