Apple launches iPod Shuffle at MacWorld

11 January 2005 19:50 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Continuing its dominance of the Digital Music Player Market. Apple has announced the iPod Shuffle, a 512Mb (120 songs) or 1Gb (240 songs) player for under £100.

Apple's announcement of the iPod Shuffle will spell good news for the consumer, but bad news for the competition as Apple slowly but surely takes control of the remaining MP3 music player market.

The player is half the price and twice the storage capacity of most of its competitors current range or future models launched at a consumer electronics show last week.

The striking element of the iPod Shuffle is that it will not have a screen. In addition to that the player will be smaller than a pack of chewing gum.

The only keys on the player will include Play, pause, volume up and down, previous and next song.

There is a USB2.0 connector included in the design and it will have a 12hour rechargeable battery.

Apple will also be shipping a new version of iTunes with the player that comes with an Autofill function. With one click of a button, Apple's iTunes will automatically filly your iPod Shuffle with the maximum amount of songs possible randomly.

Steve Jobs as he unvieled the new device said: "We'd like to go after the remaining mainstream flash market... it's like a zoo - there's a million little flash players."

Where Apple is hoping to succeed is in the simplicity of it all. Like the iPod brand the iPod Shuffle isn't just another flash based player like it competitors.

The lack of screen certainly stands it out from the crowd straight away, as does the innovative if not possibly annoying shuffle mode focus. The slogan says it all “Life is random”.

However there is nothing random about Apple's slow, but sure domination of the digital music player market.

Apple branded accessories will include armband, dock, sports case, and clip on battery extender to increase the battery life up to 20hours, although like the iPod and iPod Mini Apple is hoping a macro economy of accessories will spring up around the new player.

So far since the launch of the first iPod over 10million have been sold worldwide.

Read our first impressions of the iPod Shuffle