These days, it’s all about personalization.
The new versions of the Apple iPod have gone slimmer, smarter and more sophisticated than ever before. The portable music player has become an essential accessory for both boys and girls.
“Everyone is trying to accessorize,” said Maurice Best, service manager of the Best Buy in Baltimore.
The new iPod now comes in nine different colors — including purple, yellow and pink. And it’s not like the scratched-up iPod in your pocket.
It’s also equipped with the “Genius” feature, which compiles songs that fit together from your music library for the ultimate playlist.
And with a flick of a wrist, you can experience a pause-free transition into the next song.
“It’s a personal experience. The fact that it comes in more colors, it can reflect more of your personality,” said Jane Buckingham, president of the Intelligence Group, a market research company that studies teen consumer habits.
“You can find your music faster,” Buckingham said. “The speed of it is always appealing to young people.”
The most popular iPod colors are silver and black, said Robert Smith, media associate for Best Buy in Baltimore.
But the colors and music aren’t the only things you can personalize. You can upload hundreds of photos and videos and view them upright or sideways.
“IPods are one of our biggest [sellers],” Best said. “There has been a lot more traffic since the new iPods have been released.”
Apple has turned the iPod into more than just a music player, Buckingham said.
“If you’re a kid, what would be better than a portable entertainment system to have with you wherever you go,” Buckingham said. “The games are certainly kid-focused, the Genius feature is definitely kid-focused, and I think the colors are very kid-focused.”
Apple has sold 160 million iPods since their introduction in 2001, making them the runaway leader among portable music players.
A $149 version comes with 8 gigabytes of memory (enough for 2,000 songs), and a 16-gigabyte version (which holds 4,000 songs) is $199.
