The iPod has taken over the digital world, and it is not about to go away any time soon.
The Apple iPod is no longer just a music playing device. It is know an icon of modern and popular culture. Instead of going out and buying a different brand of MP3 player, most people are purchasing one of the highly stylized iPods even though they have no apparent differences. This is due to the massive impact that they have had on every single person in the Western world. No other object has had just a large influence, and none other is even close to matching it.
Since their release in 2001, the iPod has quickly taken hold of the hearts and minds of all teenagers and even of the majority of the developed world. People realize that it is cool to own an iPod rather than another type of music device. The symbolic white head phones tell everyone around that you are trendy enough to own one. This is strange in itself because even though it lets people know how fashionable you are, it also blocks any social contact with nearby strangers.
Several cities around the world have banned their use when driving cars because of the danger of distraction, yet millions of people continue to ‘plug in.’ Although it is more common to see their use in teenagers ears, it is not rare for people of other ages to be seen listening alongside. Their mass appeal to so many different demographics is one of the reasons that people cannot live without their iPod.
Mainly because of Apple’s large reputation and their intensive advertising budget, the iPod became popular in a very short timeframe. The continual release of different types guaranteed that they would remain in front of peoples eyes, retaining their attention for as long as possible.
The evolution from the classic iPod has also taken place in a very short time frame. Everything from the shuffle, to the mini, and the latest video player varieties are now available, making sure that there is no other brand that can offer a feature that Apple has not already installed. Along with the free iTunes software that comes with every model, there is nothing that can be suggested displacing the iPod from its high selling place.
It is not very likely that another brand of media player will be able to take the iPod’s place any time in the near future. Their place as the number one MP3 and now video player is well cemented and well deserved.
http://ipod.suite101.com/article.cfm/ipods_impact_on_modern_culture
