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Connectivity

See also: Dock connector Apple


Four iPod wall chargers for North America, all made by Apple !hese ha"e Fire#ire
$left% and &S' $right three% connectors, which allow iPods to charge without a computer
!he units ha"e been miniaturi(ed o"er time
)riginally, a Fire#ire connection to the host computer was used to update songs or
recharge the battery !he battery could also be charged with a power adapter that was
included with the first four generations
!he third generation began including a *+,pin dock connector, allowing for Fire#ire or
&S' connecti"ity !his pro"ided better compatibility with non,Apple machines, as most
of them did not ha"e Fire#ire ports at the time -"entually Apple began shipping iPods
with &S' cables instead of Fire#ire, although the latter was a"ailable separately As of
the first,generation iPod Nano and the fifth,generation iPod .lassic, Apple discontinued
using Fire#ire for data transfer $while still allowing for use of Fire#ire to charge the
de"ice% in an attempt to reduce cost and form factor As of the second,generation iPod
!ouch and the fourth,generation iPod Nano, Fire#ire charging ability has been remo"ed
!he second,, third,, and fourth,generation iPod Shuffle uses a single */ mm mini0ack
phone connector which acts as both a headphone 0ack and a data port for the dock
!he dock connector also allowed the iPod to connect to accessories, which often
supplement the iPod1s music, "ideo, and photo playback Apple sells a few accessories,
such as the now,discontinued iPod 2i,Fi, but most are manufactured by third parties such
as 'elkin and 3riffin Some peripherals use their own interface, while others use the
iPod1s own screen 'ecause the dock connector is a proprietary interface, the
implementation of the interface re4uires paying royalties to Apple
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Apple introduced a new 8,pin dock connector, named 9ightning, on September :6, 6+:6
with their announcement of the iPhone /, the fifth generation iPod !ouch, and the se"enth
generation iPod Nano, which all feature it !he new connector replaces the older *+,pin
dock connector used by older iPods, iPhones, and iPads Apple 9ightning cables ha"e
pins on both sides of the plug so it can be inserted with either side facing up
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Accessories
!he ;<ade for iPod; logo found on most classic iPod accessories
<any accessories ha"e been made for the iPod line A large number are made by third
party companies, although many, such as the iPod 2i,Fi, are made by Apple Some
accessories add e=tra features that other music players ha"e, such as sound recorders, F<
radio tuners, wired remote controls, and audio>"isual cables for !? connections )ther
accessories offer uni4ue features like the Nike@iPod pedometer and the iPod .amera
.onnector )ther notable accessories include e=ternal speakers, wireless remote controls,
protecti"e case, screen films, and wireless earphones
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Among the first accessory
manufacturers were 3riffin !echnology, 'elkin, B'9, 'ose, <onster .able, and
SendStation
'<# released the first iPod automobile interface,
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allowing dri"ers of newer '<# "ehicles to control an
iPod using either the built,in steering wheel controls or
the radio head,unit buttons Apple announced in 6++/
that similar systems would be a"ailable for other "ehicle
brands, including <ercedes,'en(,
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?ol"o,
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Nissan,
!oyota,
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Alfa Eomeo, Ferrari,
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Acura, Audi, 2onda,
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Eenault, Gnfiniti
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and ?olkswagen
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Scion offers
standard iPod connecti"ity on all their cars
Some independent stereo manufacturers including B?.,
Pioneer, Henwood, Alpine, Sony, and 2arman Hardon
also ha"e iPod,specific integration solutions Alternati"e
connection methods include adapter kits $that use the
cassette deck or the .D changer port%, audio input 0acks,
and F< transmitters such as the i!ripIalthough
personal F< transmitters are illegal in some countries
<any car manufacturers ha"e added audio input 0acks as
standard
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'eginning in mid,6++D, four ma0or airlines, &nited,
.ontinental, Delta, and -mirates, reached agreements to
install iPod seat connections !he free ser"ice will allow
passengers to power and charge an iPod, and "iew "ideo
and music libraries on indi"idual seat,back displays
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)riginally H9< and Air France were reported to be part
of the deal with Apple, but they later released statements
e=plaining that they were only contemplating the
possibility of incorporating such systems
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iPod earbuds
!wo early designs of iPod
earphones
Apple -arPods, introduced
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Software
!he iPod line can play se"eral audio file formats including <P*, AA.><AA, Protected
AA., AGFF, #A?, Audible audiobook, and Apple 9ossless !he iPod photo introduced
the ability to display BP-3, '<P, 3GF, !GFF, and PN3 image file formats Fifth and
si=th generation iPod .lassics, as well as third generation iPod Nanos, can additionally
play <P-3,A $26CA><P-3,A A?.% and Juick!ime "ideo formats, with restrictions on
"ideo dimensions, encoding techni4ues and data,rates
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)riginally, iPod software only
worked with <ac )SK iPod software for <icrosoft #indows was launched with the
second generation model
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&nlike most other media players, Apple does not support
<icrosoft1s #<A audio formatIbut a con"erter for #<A files without Digital Eights
<anagement $DE<% is pro"ided with the #indows "ersion of i!unes <GDG files also
cannot be played, but can be con"erted to audio files using the ;Ad"anced; menu in
i!unes Alternati"e open,source audio formats, such as )gg ?orbis and F9A., are not
supported without installing custom firmware onto an iPod $eg, Eockbo=%
During installation, an iPod is associated with one host computer -ach time an iPod
connects to its host computer, i!unes can synchroni(e entire music libraries or music
playlists either automatically or manually Song ratings can be set on an iPod and
synchroni(ed later to the i!unes library, and "ice "ersa A user can access, play, and add
music on a second computer if an iPod is set to manual and not automatic sync, but
anything added or edited will be re"ersed upon connecting and syncing with the main
computer and its library Gf a user wishes to automatically sync music with another
computer, an iPod1s library will be entirely wiped and replaced with the other computer1s
library
Interface
!he signature iPod click wheel
iPods with color displays use anti,aliased graphics and te=t, with sliding animations All
iPods $e=cept the *rd,generation iPod Shuffle, the Cth L Dth generation iPod Nano, and
iPod !ouch% ha"e fi"e buttons and the later generations ha"e the buttons integrated into
the click wheel M an inno"ation that gi"es an uncluttered, minimalist interface !he
buttons perform basic functions such as menu, play, pause, ne=t track, and pre"ious track
)ther operations, such as scrolling through menu items and controlling the "olume, are
performed by using the click wheel in a rotational manner !he *rd,generation iPod
Shuffle does not ha"e any controls on the actual playerK instead it has a small control on
the earphone cable, with "olume,up and ,down buttons and a single button for play and
pause, ne=t track, etc !he iPod !ouch has no click,wheelK instead it uses a */; touch
screen along with a home button, sleep>wake button and $on the second and third
generations of the iPod !ouch% "olume,up and ,down buttons !he user interface for the
iPod !ouch is identical to that of the iPhone Differences include a lack of a phone
application 'oth de"ices use i)S
iTunes Store
<ain articles: i!unes and i!unes Store
!he i!unes Store $introduced April 6F, 6++*% is an online media store run by Apple and
accessed through i!unes !he store became the market leader soon after its launch
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and
Apple announced the sale of "ideos through the store on )ctober :6, 6++/ Full,length
mo"ies became a"ailable on September :6, 6++C
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At the time the store was introduced, purchased audio files used the AA. format with
added encryption, based on the FairPlay DE< system &p to fi"e authori(ed computers
and an unlimited number of iPods could play the files 'urning the files with i!unes as an
audio .D, then re,importing would create music files without the DE< !he DE< could
also be remo"ed using third,party software 2owe"er, in a deal with Apple, -<G began
selling DE<,free, higher,4uality songs on the i!unes Stores, in a category called ;i!unes
Plus; #hile indi"idual songs were made a"ailable at a cost of &SN:6F, *+O more than
the cost of a regular DE< song, entire albums were a"ailable for the same price,
&SNFFF, as DE< encoded albums )n )ctober :D, 6++D, Apple lowered the cost of
indi"idual i!unes Plus songs to &SN+FF per song, the same as DE< encoded tracks )n
Banuary C, 6++F, Apple announced that DE< has been remo"ed from 8+P of the music
catalog, and that it would be remo"ed from all music by April 6++F
iPods cannot play music files from competing music stores that use ri"al,DE<
technologies like <icrosoft1s protected #<A or EealNetworks1 2eli= DE< -=ample
stores include Napster and <SN <usic EealNetworks claims that Apple is creating
problems for itself
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by using FairPlay to lock users into using the i!unes Store Ste"e
Bobs stated that Apple makes little profit from song sales, although Apple uses the store to
promote iPod sales
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2owe"er, iPods can also play music files from online stores that
do not use DE<, such as e<usic or Amie Street
&ni"ersal <usic 3roup decided not to renew their contract with the i!unes Store on Buly
*, 6++D &ni"ersal will now supply i!unes in an 1at will1 capacity
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Apple debuted the i!unes #i,Fi <usic Store on September /, 6++D, in its <edia -"ent
entitled ;!he 'eat 3oes )n; !his ser"ice allows users to access the <usic Store from
either an iPhone or an iPod !ouch and download songs directly to the de"ice that can be
synced to the user1s i!unes 9ibrary o"er a #iFi connection, or, in the case of an iPhone,
the telephone network
Games
<ain articles: iPod game and App Store $i)S%
?ideo games are playable on "arious "ersions of iPods !he original iPod had the game
Brick $originally in"ented by Apple1s co,founder Ste"e #o(niak% included as an easter
egg hidden featureK later firmware "ersions added it as a menu option 9ater re"isions of
the iPod added three more games: Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz
Gn September 6++C, the i!unes Store began to offer additional games for purchase with
the launch of i!unes D, compatible with the fifth generation iPod with iPod software :6
or later !hose games were: Bejeweled, Cubis 2, Mahjong, Mini Golf, Pac-Man, Tetris,
Teas !old "#$, %orte, &s'halt () #lite *acing and +u$a Additional games ha"e since
been added !hese games work on the Cth and /th generation iPod .lassic and the /th
and Ath generation iPod Nano
#ith third parties like Namco, S4uare -ni=, -lectronic Arts, Sega, and 2udson Soft all
making games for the iPod, Apple1s <P* player has taken steps towards entering the
"ideo game handheld console market -"en "ideo game maga(ines like 3amePro and
-3< ha"e re"iewed and rated most of their games as of late
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!he games are in the form of ipg files, which are actually (ip archi"es in disguise
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needed7
#hen un(ipped, they re"eal e=ecutable files along with common audio and image
files, leading to the possibility of third party games Apple has not publicly released a
software de"elopment kit $SDH% for iPod,specific de"elopment
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Apps produced with
the iPhone SDH are compatible only with the i)S on the iPod !ouch and iPhone, which
cannot run clickwheel,based games
File storage and transfer
All iPods e=cept for the iPod !ouch can function in ;disk mode; as mass storage de"ices
to store data files
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but this may not be the default beha"ior, and in the case of the iPod
!ouch, re4uires special software
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Gf an iPod is formatted on a <ac )S
computer, it uses the 2FS@ file system format, which allows it to ser"e as a boot disk for
a <ac computer
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Gf it is formatted on #indows, the FA!*6 format is used #ith the
release of the #indows,compatible iPod, the default file system used on the iPod line
switched from 2FS@ to FA!*6, although it can be reformatted to either file system
$e=cluding the iPod Shuffle which is strictly FA!*6% 3enerally, if a new iPod $e=cluding
the iPod Shuffle% is initially plugged into a computer running #indows, it will be
formatted with FA!*6, and if initially plugged into a <ac running <ac )S it will be
formatted with 2FS@
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&nlike many other <P* players, simply copying audio or "ideo files to the dri"e with a
typical file management application will not allow an iPod to properly access them !he
user must use software that has been specifically designed to transfer media files to
iPods, so that the files are playable and "iewable &sually iTunes is used to transfer media
to an iPod, though se"eral alternati"e third,party applications are a"ailable on a number
of different platforms
iTunes D and abo"e can transfer purchased media of the i!unes Store from an iPod to a
computer, pro"ided that computer containing the DE< protected media is authori(ed to
play it
<edia files are stored on an iPod in a hidden folder, along with a proprietary database
file !he hidden content can be accessed on the host operating system by enabling hidden
files to be shown !he media files can then be reco"ered manually by copying the files or
folders off the iPod <any third,party applications also allow easy copying of media files
off of an iPod

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