Apple IPod Vs. Apple IPhone: Which was the Bigger Innovation?

Just about a few years ago, I wondered aloud whether Apple was still relevant or making very much money. This was just before the iPod came out and I wasn't too in tune about what Apple was doing as a company. Of course, I hadn't been following Apple all that much and they have been very profitable for many years.

Now, both the iPod and iPhone have come out and revolutionized their particular fields of technology. But which of the two Apple giants has been more influential?

Before the Apple iPod came out, mp3 players were not all that popular at all. The first Apple iPod was clunky and ugly-looking but it still brought high-quality, portable music to the masses. The Apple iPod really caught on even more once it was streamlined. The Apple iPod Nano and Shuffle both brought Apple's flagship product to even more customers. The Apple iPod is definitely one of the most influential pieces of consumer technology to come out in many years. The Apple iPod line basically launched a whole new way that people listen to music. You can't go anywhere these days without seeing an iPod on someone.

Meanwhile, the Apple iPhone has also been a revolutionary product. People waited in line to get them despite their hefty price tags. Now the Apple iPhone is going to launch a new iPhone 3G model that will increase the hype even more. The iPhone took a lot of higher-end cell phone features and made them more simple and easy to use much like the Windows operating system did computers back in the day.

So while the iPhone is a popular and unique device, it hasn't had quite the overall impact that the Apple iPod has thus far. As more and more people buy the iPhone (it's hard because it's so pricey) and more features are added, it has the chance to surpass the iPod in terms of overall impact. The sky is really the limit for the Apple iPhone because you can do a lot more with it whereas the Apple iPod is meant mostly to be a music player. The video players have been fairly well received for iPods but there aren't a whole lot of features Apple can add to the iPods that will keep them in their targeted price range of around $100-$250.

Both the Apple iPod and Apple iPhone have been great inventions that have made Apple relevant and near the top of the industry again. Now if only Apple could solve the little problem of iPods breaking before their warranties are up, we'd really be set.