November 14, 2006: Apple groups up with a slew of airways to supply the “first seamless integration” between iPods and in-flight leisure methods.
A particular dock will let iPod homeowners use the gadgets to play music and movies on planes’ seat-back shows. The plan guarantees to rid the world of old school in-flight films and printed magazines.
In-flight iPods go up, up and away
The iPod, a conveyable music machine that famously put “1,000 songs in your pocket,” grew to become a breakout hit for Apple within the first years of the twenty first century. Apple CEO Steve Jobs launched the first iPod on October 23, 2001, and the corporate shortly iterated on its hit MP3 participant. New iPod fashions ramped up storage capability and added the flexibility to play video games and movies, and — together with the iTunes Music Retailer — retooled the music trade for the digital age.
(Learn extra about Apple’s groundbreaking gadget in Cult of Mac’s visible historical past of the iPod: An illustrated historical past of the iPod and its large affect.)
Apple’s November 14, 2006, announcement about integrating the iPod into airplanes for in-flight leisure coated six airways: Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United. All of them, Apple claimed, would supply iPod seat connections beginning in mid-2007.
“There isn’t a higher touring companion than an iPod, and now vacationers can energy their iPods throughout flight and even watch their iPod films and TV reveals on their seat again shows,” mentioned Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice chairman of worldwide iPod product advertising, in a press launch. “We’re excited to work with Air France, Continental, Delta, Emirates, KLM and United to supply iPod customers a good higher in-flight expertise.”
A quick controversy adopted after KLM and Air France wavered on the promise. “It’s approach too early to verify any such particulars,” an Air France spokeswoman advised Reuters. A KLM spokesman mentioned, “It’s very untimely what Apple are saying.”
Each advised that — whereas preliminary talks had taken place — no deal had but been struck. “We do not know if that is technically possible, if it’s financially viable, or if clients need it,” KLM’s rep mentioned.
Nonetheless, Apple mentioned it might proceed with its different companions.
iPods on airplanes: The mile-high iClub
Picture: Microsoft
Within the aftermath, analysts mentioned how massive an affect the iPod docks would have. Would they encourage flyers to decide on explicit airways? In concept, taking part airways may benefit from the identical “halo impact” as Apple merchandise.
One other controversy erupted following the revelation that the docking stations wouldn’t work with Microsoft’s Zune music participant.
Microsoft’s newly launched iPod competitor by no means discovered traction within the market. And the Zune’s incompatibility with the airplane docks confirmed that, only a decade after Microsoft’s heyday, the corporate was shedding the tech tradition wars with Apple. (Microsoft deserted the Zune in 2012, permitting it to die a gradual demise.)
Apple gear on airplanes
At this time, Apple know-how continues to remodel air journey. Flyers watch movies, learn books and hearken to music and podcasts on iPads, iPhones and MacBooks. They usually accomplish that with AirPods of their ears. And so they pay for in-flight drinks with Apple Pay.
Typically, they don’t even have to carry their very own gadgets. (Australia’s Qantas Airways started providing iPads for in-flight leisure on its Jetstar flights as early as 2010.) Plus, vacationers now flash digital boarding passes from their iPhones and Apple Watches at safety checkpoints and jetway entrances. iBeacons additionally typically make air journey simpler and extra seamless than ever.
Many pilots use Apple gadgets as effectively. American Airways ditched heavy flight manuals in 2013 in favor of iPads. In a transfer designed to avoid wasting greater than $1 million in gasoline prices every year, American grew to become the primary main industrial provider to introduce iPads to all its cockpits.
With the final iPod mannequin discontinued in 2022, the groundbreaking music gamers is perhaps a virtually forgotten a part of Apple’s product lineup. Nevertheless, this “At this time in Apple historical past” installment reminds us what an iconic product the iPod was at one level. And the way virtually everybody (KLM and Air France probably excepted!) bought on the bandwagon.
