The aesthetics of the new iPod video


The iPod has been, since its release in 2001, one of the most innovative and popular digital devices in the world. Being produced by a strong brand such as Apple, the iPod became popular in a very short period of time. The popularity of the iPod was owed, besides the practical usage of the actual product, to the original ways of promoting and advertising of the company and, as well, to the aesthetical qualities that the product presented, ranging from the design features to the packaging.

Since the appearance of the product on the market, meaning the first iPod in 2001, the design of the product changed, but not dramatically; still, every model of the iPod came with new features, so the design and the package had to be adapted to these, in order to satisfy the consumers. The most important element that was considered by the creators when establishing the shape of the new device was the perfect proportioning. The new item was supposed to be light and easy, in order to be carried in all sizes of pockets, yet it had to look like a powerful and strong device. Even more, the necessity of providing a stable platform for the controls and the fact that the device was supposed to be managed easily by the customers, lead to the optimization of the perfect size and shape. The result was a device which was the right size in order to be held in the hand without difficulty and managed without effort. In the 5 years of constant research in order to find the right proportion for the iPods, the device ranged between the thickest model, expressed in the 2nd generation of iPods and the almost as thick 4th generation iPod to the more symmetric models of the 1st and 3rd generations.

Following these rules, the first 4 generations of the iPod managed the keep the right proportions that could permit the optimum use of the sound and later on, the photo features (even so, the iPod nano was considered to be too light and fragile). After the launching of the 4th generation of iPods, Apple were preparing to provide a new and even more innovative iPod, which was supposed to have a video feature, as well. At that time, the most significant concern of the producers was the fact that, due to the new iPod features, which had to permit a good visibility and a larger screen, the perfect proportions of the iPod might be ruined. As a result, the last generation of iPods is the thinnest of all; instead, the screen is larger, which allows videos to be watched much better.

Since the original model, the iPod's height and width have remained the same. Still, the corners of the new iPod video are sharper, in comparison with the rounded edges of the previous models. Even more, the center button of the device is flat, without any convex potions, which characterized the previous models of iPods.

The new iPod video comes in 2 colors: black and white, which adapt well to the color of the package, which is black and silver. With this colors (which are the same as the ones of the iPod`s nano colors), the new device seems improved and more refined. The black iPod has a chrome Apple logo, but the ear buds remain white, for both colors of the main device.

The iPod has been constantly modified in order to establish the perfect size for carrying and listening to music while walking and sometimes dancing. The iPod video presents, besides an obvious technical evolution that allows now watching videos on this small device, a new appearance, with different proportions, which are adapted to the most important request: good visibility. With a larger screen and thinner aspect, the iPod video turns out to be a stylish and aesthetic product, which slightly changes the image of the previous models, yet keeps the brand features intact.