Great question! Perhaps tech related to mp3 compression and miniaturizing storage. I can't name any specific contributors, however. While thinking about this i

Great question! Perhaps tech related to mp3 compression and miniaturizing storage. I can't name any specific contributors, however. While thinking about this it made me feel like that is an example of a powerful force of history - "to the victor goes the spoils." There was a lot of tech foundation innovated by competitors in related products that made the iPod possible but since the iPod was the breakout success of the era it's all some of us can remember.