Background and Identification
The iPod shuffle was originally released from Apple in 2005. The first generation iPod shuffle weighed 0.78 ounces. It was designed to play music in random order and, by removing the need for a display, it allowed users to have access to this function in a much less expensive form than the traditional iPod. The first generation iPod shuffle could store up to 240 songs.
In 2006, Apple released a second edition of the iPod shuffle. This new model was half the size of its predecessor and weighed just 0.55 ounces. The following year, in 2007, Apple again made updates to the iPod shuffle line. Apple released four new colors of iPod shuffles: pink, orange, green, and blue. After the second generation iPod shuffle, Apple released a third generation and a final fourth generation model.
The fourth generation iPod shuffle was released in 2010. It showed more similarity to the second generation shuffle than to the third generation model and was exceptionally small in size. The fourth generation iPod shuffle weighed only 0.4 ounces. Both the iPod shuffle and iPod nano were discontinued in July of 2017.
iPod shuffles are thin, rectangular music-playing devices. They have physical controls (except for the third generation version) and are designed with the sole purpose of playing music in shuffle mode.
Even if you know which iPod shuffle you have, a quick look through the iPod identification page can't hurt.