iPod PP5020 2004

The Apple iPod photo*, as its name suggests, added photo storage and viewing capabilities to the iPod line. It was equipped with a 40 GB or 60 GB 4200 RPM ATA-66 hard drive, holding "up to" 10,000 or 15,000 songs in "128-Kbps AAC format," respectively, and as many as 25,000 photos in iPod viewable format.

Although Apple considered it part of the iPod (4th Gen) series—sharing the "ClickWheel" and basic case design—it had many enhancements, most notably a two-inch diagonal 65,536-color LCD with an LED backlight. Major software improvements included color throughout the interface, a new "Myriad" font, and support for viewing photo slideshows with synchronized music on the internal display or on a TV via the included AV cable.

Battery life was also improved over the iPod (4G), offering up to 15 hours of music and 5 hours of slideshows, though skip protection was reduced to 17 minutes. Models shipped before February 23, 2005, required iTunes to convert photos for viewing on the device. After that date, the iPod photo (M9830LL/A) could immediately display images transferred via the optional iPod Camera Connector (US$29).

*As a point of trivia, this model was introduced as iPod Photo (capitalized) and later changed to iPod photo (lowercase).

The iPod photo represented a significant leap forward, transforming the iconic music player into a multimedia device. Its defining feature, the color screen, was highly praised for its ability to display album art and personal photos, adding a vibrant new dimension to the user experience. [1, 6] The function to create and view photo slideshows with a music soundtrack, either on the device itself or on a television, was seen as a major innovation. [1, 2] It was evaluated as a premium version of the 4th generation iPod, sharing the same beloved Click Wheel but with the crucial addition of color. [40] While it was thicker and heavier than the standard iPod and came at a higher price, the added functionality was considered a worthy trade-off for many. [1] It successfully laid the groundwork for future iPods to become more than just audio players.