Apple is a California-based digital hardware and personal computer manufacturer responsible for the iPod, iTunes music service, and the the personal iPod earphone craze that has swept the world after 2001. Apple also develops, manufactures, and markets personal computers and all related products, software, peripherals, services, etc. Not too long ago, the company was losing money, as an overwhelming majority of home computer users owned PCs and would never have considered purchasing something as foreign as a Mac computer.
Today, Apple Inc. is one of the world's most influential media companies, owing their astounding success to the ever-so-popular iPod that took the world by storm. This petite, handheld device (which is made smaller and smaller) revolutionized the way individuals listen to music. Undoubtedly, before the iPod hit the market, people did listen to music through large, bulky CD players. However, a conveniently sized MP3 player that provides ample room for hundreds (now thousands and thousands) of songs, hours of play and comes in sleek, colorful designs and futuristic features such as touch button music controls is exactly what every music lover needed. Needless to say, people from all over the world went on a mad dash to Apple stores, and continue to do so every time Apple unleashes a newer version of the iPod… and a pair of iPod earphones included with every player.
Apple has become one of the leading retailers of music in the world, having sold around 2 billion tracks via its iTunes music store. If the numbers are correct, more than 100 million iPods have been purchased in the past five years, making the iPod the best selling consumer electronics product in history, not to mention the savior of the headphone industry. Although the iPod may be a highly esteemed product, the Apple iPod earphones that come with it are not. Music listeners agree the Apple earbuds lack sound quality, depth, and durability. For this reason, iPoders are becoming increasingly interested in headphones, an industry the public had lost interest in for a while.
More and more individuals are taking time to learn about headphones and what the industry has to offer. And why shouldn’t they? Who wouldn’t want their favorite songs to sound better through their favorite little device? The term audiophile has made a great comeback, as have bigger and better headphones. Sitting in the subway next to someone wearing obscenely large headphones, bobbing to the beat of his or her favorite song (which you can hear every word of since the volume’s jacked up all the way) is far more familiar today than ever before, and all thanks to the Apple iPod.
Apple continues to make advancements to the iPod, designing smaller models with more gigs for music, video, and more. Currently, the smallest iPod product is the new Apple iPod Shuffle. Expect to see bigger and better products from this world leading manufacturer, just in tinier form. Moreover, expect the new earphone craze to expand in ways the older audio generations never imagined.
