Apple iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation Specifications

iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation

Product Brand: Apple

Editor's Rating:
2.5

Pros

• Compact and lightweight design
• Easy-to-use control interface
• Clip-on design makes it convenient for workouts and outdoor activities
• Affordable price point
• Long battery life

Cons

• No screen display, making it difficult to navigate through music
• Limited storage capacity
• No support for video or photo playback
• No support for third-party apps or games
• Requires proprietary charging cable

Apple iPod Shuffle 3rd Generation Review and Features

The third-generation iPod Shuffle was released on March 11, 2009, and was said by Apple to be “jaw-droppingly small” and “The first music player that talks to you”, with dimensions of 45.2 mm × 17.5 mm × 7.8 mm (1.8 in × 0.7 in × 0.3 in).

It was available with a silver or black brushed aluminium case similar to the second generation iPod Shuffle; this made it the first iPod Shuffle that was available in black. It featured VoiceOver technology that allowed song names, artist names, album names and playlist contents and names to be spoken in 20 different languages using the Text-to-Speech incorporated in iTunes 8 and 9.

In contrast to previous versions of the iPod Shuffle, it also gained support for multiple playlists, which allowed only a single playlist.
The inside of a third-generation iPod Shuffle

The third-generation iPod Shuffle featured a polished steel attachment clip, adopting for the first time the polished steel finishing previously found only on the larger iPods, rather than the brushed aluminium used in the second-generation iPod Shuffle.

It also no longer had volume or track controls on the device itself. Instead, the packaged iPod earbuds included a three-button device on the right earbud cord. This added the functions of changing between playlists, hearing the song title and artist of the track playing, as well as play/pause, track changes and volume control.

It was originally impossible to change songs or volume with most third-party headphones since they lacked these controls. However, since the device began playing music automatically when turned on, third-party headphones could still be used in “autoplay” mode (with no volume or playback controls).

After its release, some third-party headphones and headphone adapters began to include full support for the third generation. The official headphones contained a chip designed by Apple to control the device. DRM is not however present in the chip as there is no encryption used.

On September 9, 2009, Apple introduced three new colours for the iPod Shuffle: pink, blue, and green. The Apple Store also offered a 4 GB model made of polished stainless steel.

Full Technical Specifications