The first iPod actually was pretty lame. Sales didn't take off until it was cheaper, used USB, and iTunes was Windows compatible - see also http://www.systemsho

The first iPod actually was pretty lame. Sales didn't take off until it was cheaper, used USB, and iTunes was Windows compatible - see also http://www.systemshootouts.org/ipod_sales.html http://www.systemshootouts.org/ipod_sales.html ... Apple's "focus groups research" involves selling a product, sometimes with absurd flaws (e.g. the headphone jack on the 1st gen iPhone) and selling an updated version a year later. This works out because there are people who have bought every iteration of the iPod and keep them in collections, and people who deny to this day that the iPhone4 deathgrip exists (bought my iPhone4 three months ago, when I hold it like I've held my 1st gen iPhone, I lose signal, but have a case now so that's moot), and it seems to work out for them. Why pay for focus groups when you can have the focus groups pay you?