Small Object, Large Subject: The iPod in American Society

A Musical Revolution in Your Pocket:

The date is December 25, 2004; this day was the starting point where my taste and knowledge of music would reach farther than I ever could have imagined.  On that fateful Christmas day I got my first iPod, the portable mp3 player from Apple Co.  This was one of the earlier models of the iPod, before additions like videos, games, or even color were featured on the device.  The easy-to-use interface, the slick white design, and the enormous amount of space for music blew my mind.  The virtual marketplace called iTunes was like walking into a music wonderland of past and new.  With a simple search of your favorite artist you could preview every song on an album before you bought it – and if you only wanted to buy one song off of an album, that was fine too.  The level of customization allowed in both purchasing and organizing your personal library of music was staggering.  ‘Playlists’ allowed you to only play certain songs at a time (for instance, you would play ‘Workout Playlist’ when you went to the gym).  Shiny, hip, fresh: the iPod was and still is one of the hottest electronic items to this day, and it’s no wonder why consumers flock to store shelves whenever a new model is churned out – the things are just so damn cool.

The landscape of the mp3 player has changed dramatically in a very short amount of time.  The first iPod was introduced in 2001; the product is barely even ten years old.  Since the simple black and white screen of the early model I started with, we’ve seen videos, games, video recording, the ability to make phone calls, and even the Internet added in.  Nowadays there’s virtually nothing you can’t do on your mobile device. Apple is still the undisputed master, but with rising competition from rival computer companies like Microsoft and phone companies like Verizon, they have to raise their game every year.  From the iPod to the iPhone and the iPad, technology is getting smaller and smarter.

How it Works:

            Ask any teenager how an iPod works and 9 out of 10 times you’ll get an answer.  The idea behind the iPod is that simpler is better.  The face of the iPod only features a screen, a wheel with four buttons, and a white circle as the “selector.”  By simply swiping your finger across the wheel, the iPod scrolls seamlessly through your music library.  The four wheel buttons are play/pause, skip forward, skip backward, and MENU.  Searching for music is easy; you can search alphabetically by artist, song, genre, or through a playlist, and downloading music is as simple as a mouse click in the iTunes store.

The simplicity of the iPod’s design was no accident; virtually every stylistic choice on Apple’s part focuses on this idea.  Everything from their ad campaign to the architecture inside the “Apple Store” uses a minimalistic technique in order to give the feeling of a squeaky clean and futuristic, yet easy-to-use vibe.  The ads for the iPod are as plain as you could get: a simple white background with text cut with pictures of their products.  The physical Apple Store, found in many malls around the US, is simply a large open room with white walls, a wood floor, and some tables and shelves showcasing the latest computers, gadgets, and software in a spread-out, open atmosphere.  The workers in the Apple store have to go through an arduous process before becoming salesmen (due to their image, Apple wants to make sure each of their representatives, high and low, cater to the “feeling” of the company).  All this is meant to get people to try and buy their product, and it works.

A Dying Industry:

Although the iPod may be the wave of the future, not everybody is totally on board with what these little devices mean for the music industry.  With the climate changing from records and CDs to mp3s and digital downloads, more and more artists today aren’t even putting out their albums on physical CDs.  Record store owners and collectors may have to put their livelihoods aside as teens everywhere throw away their old Walkmans.  Record companies know the speed with which digital downloading is accelerating and soon the CD will become as ancient as the 8-Track Player.

Another huge problem brought on by this onslaught of technology is a new threat to the music industry: Internet pirates.  With the resources found within any standard PC, everybody and their mother can illegally download thousands of songs onto their computer for free.  This is a big deal in the music industry because of how widespread these downloads have become.  Millions of songs have been pirated over file-sharing sites, and especially with less popular, “indie” groups, there just isn’t enough cash coming in to land opportunities.  Less money means less music.  Budgets have to be cut and many talented artists that might have otherwise been given record deals will be scrapped.  Music videos have to be cut back on, along with advertising time.  This also means that the people who actually do the right thing by purchasing their music will have to suffer more restrictions.  Music files will no longer be transferrable for all media (for instance, a song bought in Apple’s iTunes store will only play on Apple products) and individual songs will only jump in price. 

An American Obsession:

America (especially its teenage demographic) is highly interested in the “here and now” mentality.  Fast food, fast acting, fast service, fast forward: the word ‘fast’ is used pretty glamorously in the States.  Digital downloading feeds into this fast-paced society. Now, with the click of a button, an entire album can be downloaded onto your computer and you could be listening to it within minutes (maybe not even that long).  Whether you find yourself on a long car trip or walking on your way to school, instantly and without delay, all your favorite music can be found on a device the size of a credit card.  The fast speed with which downloads, flipping through artists, and looking up musicians can be done is a true American fantasy, only what was once fantasy has turned into a reality.

Another facet of the iPod that appeals to Americans is the small size.  Nearly every electronic gadget out now is teeny-tiny.  Cell phones, music players, video cameras: every year the products on store shelves are packaged in smaller boxes.  This trend can be attributed to our world’s on-the-go lifestyle.  More often than not we’re moving around place to place, whether it be for work or pleasure, and carrying a big hunky stereo boom box around isn’t necessarily the most convenient way of having “music on the go.”  An everyday pants pocket is just enough room for all of your entertainment needs.

The major problem with Apple is that they expect consumers to come back to their store over and over.  The hitch with buying an iPod or iPhone is that just when you think you’re buying the coolest thing ever, Apple comes out with the newest coolest thing ever in a few months.  Unfortunately the faster the rate at which technology moves ahead, the higher the bills come.  The latest Apple gizmo, the iPad, starts at $500, and that doesn’t even include downloads and Internet costs.  Apple has to walk a tight tightrope between product longevity and how to get consumers to purchase the latest hot item, while draining lots of money in the process.

Despite the overwhelming cost of their products, they have done extremely well for themselves earning $26 billion dollars in profits for the first quarter of 2011.  With iPods, MacBooks, and iPhones lingering everywhere (save for Amish Country), the long line of success for the company seems to be on a road not stopping soon.  With the sky as the limit, Apple will most likely continue to impress with its unique ways of handling itself and its products.