15: Building the Band (Part 3, Origin of the iPod)
Summary
This episode details the early development of the iPod, beginning with Apple's dissatisfaction with existing MP3 players and the serendipitous discovery of Toshiba’s 1.8-inch hard drive in Japan. Hosts Mike Hurley and Jason Snow discuss how John Rubenstein recruited Tony Fidel to lead the crash program, highlighting the tension between Fidel and Rubenstein over Fidel’s reluctant commitment to Apple. The story covers the pragmatic decision to outsource the operating system and processor to PortalPlayer and Pixo to meet tight deadlines, while emphasizing that the device was designed exclusive…
Topics discussed
Introduction: The need for a better MP3 player
Disappointment with existing music players
Apple's decision to enter consumer electronics
The storage challenge and IBM's Microdrive
Serendipity in Japan: Finding the 1.8-inch drive
Securing exclusive rights and other components
The tight deadline and Apple's pragmatic shift
Recruiting Tony Fadell from the ski slopes
Tony Fadell's background and initial contract
The 'Whole Widget' challenge and outsourcing
Partnerships with PortalPlayer and Pixo
iTunes as the brain: Simplifying the iPod
Fadell's role and the project's low priority
Rubenstein's ultimatum to Fadell
The rift between Fadell and Rubenstein
Preparing to pitch the iPod to Steve Jobs
Outro and credits
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