The 2nd-generation iPod Shuffle was announced on September 12, 2006 by Apple, which called it "the most wearable iPod ever". First shipments of the unit were slated for an October 2006 arrival, but actually started shipping on Friday, November 3, 2006. The second generation initially featured a lone 1 GB model in a silver brushed aluminum case, similar to the 2nd-generation iPod nano and the older iPod mini.
Features[]
The new model was less than half the size of the 1st-generation model at 41.2 x 27.3 x 10.5 mm (1.62 x 1.07 x 0.41 in), and was the size of the iPod Radio Remote. Apple claimed it was the "world's smallest MP3 player". This generation included the new built-in belt clip, and the actual unit itself was thinner, with the entire device weighing only 15.5 g (0.55 ounces). The power/shuffle/no shuffle switch from the first-generation version was separated into two controls to avoid an accidentally selected mode of operation. The formatting of the iPod itself was new to Apple, as the second-generation shuffle only formatted itself to FAT32.
On the 2nd-generation iPod shuffle, USB connectivity is provided via an included iPod shuffle Dock which acts as a docking station for the transfer of data and the recharging of the iPod's internal battery through its headphone jack. The second-generation iPod shuffle was also able to act as a flash drive, just like the first-generation iPod shuffle. However, unlike the first-generation iPod shuffle, the second generation did not have a built-in USB connector. This means that the docking station was required for connection to a computer.
The 2nd-generation shuffle could play MP3, MP3 VBR, AAC, Protected AAC, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), WAV and AIFF. Due to its low processing power, the only iTunes-supported file format that the iPod did not support is Apple Lossless.
Product history[]
On January 30, 2007, Apple announced the addition of four new colors to the iPod shuffle line - pink, orange, green, and blue, in addition to the original silver color. The orange color was a first for the iPod franchise. They also now came with new redesigned headphones that were not included with the original silver model. The box was also changed to have gray text instead of the lime-green text. On September 5, 2007, Apple introduced four new colors: turquoise, lavender, mint green, and (PRODUCT)RED; the previous colors were discontinued.
On February 19, 2008, Apple introduced a 2 GB version of the iPod shuffle, retailing for US$69 and available in all the same colors as the 1 GB model. At the Apple Let's Rock Event on September 9, 2008, Apple once again released four new colors for the iPod shuffle: blue, green, pink, and red, replacing the colors that were released in September 2007. The new blue, green and pink variants of the iPod shuffle reverted to shades that were similar to the colors that were released in January 2007.[1] In June 2009, Avon offered a gold iPod shuffle (second generation) for $29 when purchased in conjunction with two ANEW skin care products.[2]
Discontinuation[]
The second generation 2 GB iPod shuffle was discontinued on March 11, 2009, and the 1 GB version was discontinued on September 9, 2009.
References[]
- ↑ Review: Apple Computer iPod shuffle (Second-Generation) by Jeremy Horwitz, iLounge. 2006-11-02.
- ↑ Gold iPod Shuffle from Avon. by mikeinternet, MacRumors. 2009-05-28.
External links[]
- iPod shuffle at Apple (archived 2006-10-17)
- iPod Shuffle: 2nd generation at Wikipedia
