iPod PP5021C 2005

The Apple iPod nano, the company's smallest "full featured" MP3 player at its debut, was available with 1, 2, or 4 GB of flash memory (the 1 GB option was added on February 7, 2006). It was housed in an "impossibly small" 3.5 x 1.6 x 0.27 inch case of "iBook white" or jet black and stainless steel, with a 1.5-inch, 16-bit color 176x132 display with a "blue white" backlight. Like the iPod mini (2nd Gen) it replaced, it used a small "ClickWheel" for navigation. However, beyond the ClickWheel, its software and features were more aligned with the iPod "Color Display" models, using color for all interface elements and supporting photo viewing.

Despite this, the iPod nano lacked video out, meaning it could display photos loaded from a computer on its internal screen but not on a TV or projector. It also did not support the iPod Camera Connector or third-party solutions for photo transfer from a camera.

New software features included a "Screen Lock," a stopwatch, and a "world clock." The 1, 2, and 4 GB versions could hold approximately 240, 500, or 1000 songs, respectively, and up to 15,000 or 25,000 photos. The battery provided up to 14 hours of music or 4 hours of photo slideshows with music.

The first iPod nano's debut was a genuine shock to the industry, replacing the beloved iPod mini with something dramatically thinner and lighter. Its "impossibly small" size was its most lauded feature, making it incredibly portable. The move to flash memory not only enabled its slim profile but also made it entirely skip-free, a significant advantage over its hard drive-based predecessors. The inclusion of a color screen for displaying album art and photos was a major step up from the mini's grayscale display and was highly praised for enhancing the user experience. However, this first generation was also widely criticized for its plastic front, which was found to be extremely susceptible to scratches, marring its beautiful design. Despite the durability concerns, its sleekness, color screen, and solid-state reliability made it an instant sensation and set a new direction for the iPod line.