Apple has announced that it has sold 100 million of its iconic iPods since the popular music player's release five and a half years ago.
The mark, said Apple, comes after the introduction of 10 different iPod models, including five generations of the original. "We want to thank music lovers everywhere for making iPod such an incredible success," Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, said in a statement. "IPod has helped millions of people around the world rekindle their passion for music, and we're thrilled to be a part of that."
Beginning with the original iPod of October 2001, which featured a 5GB miniature hard drive, the player has mutated and grown to offer a top-end storage capacity of 80GB. The US$399 price for the debut 5GB model hasn't been breached; today's 80GB iPod sells for US$349.
In its most recent financial quarter, Apple reported that 48 percent of its revenue -- US$3.4 billion out of US$7.1 billion -- were from iPod sales; in the last three months of 2006, it sold more than 21 million players, up 50 percent over the same quarter the year prior.
Apple's next expected major release, however, won't be an iPod. It will make its first foray into mobile telecommunications with the iPhone, which will go on sale in June.
