According to Steve Jobs at Macworld Apple sold 14 million iPods in last quarter of 2005 and 32 million during the whole year. iPod remains by far the most popular portable mp3 player even though it’s neither the cheapest or the most feature laden of available options.

So what is it that makes iPod so popular and what does that tell us?

For the purpose of this post I’ll talk about the whole family of iPod products as one, since I believe that my points can be more or less equally applied to all of them.

1. Easy interface = happy users

Using iPod is very easy and when something is easy to do, it’s more likely to also be enjoyable.

iPod achieves this mainly by using familiar elements (playlists, slideshows…) and sticking to simple usage model. Even wheel is just an evolved volume knob from hi-fi equipment. Which doesn’t make it less innovative.

Exceptions to the mental model are expensive, since they significantly raise the cognitive burden and should therefore be reserved only for occasions when their benefits far outweigh their downsides.

2. Number of features is not important. Their selection is.

As already noted, iPod isn’t the player with most features. It’s not even the player with most features per buck.

It’s a common fallacy to think you need more features than competition. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add any. A product should certainly meet baseline expectations and have features most of its customers expect. But you should be careful that those it has significantly add to the purpose of the tool.

Don’t try to build a swiss army knife.

3. If you build it (expansion option), they will come (developers).

You can’t add every feature and you shouldn’t even if you could. However you should make it possible for other developers to build on top of your product. This way everybody wins.

Your budget can be smaller, majority is not bothered with features it doesn’t want or need, but somebody else can add them for those who do. That’s why web services matter and you should think about adding them if you haven’t yet.

4. Less is more (minimalism rules)

Less design, less features, less burden.

It’s like going on a trip. You can’t take everything you might possibly need with you. You have to decide what’s useful or important enough and make it fit within limitations imposed on you either by airlines or your own body.

5. Looks matter

Nobody wants to watch ugly stuff. If we are going to look at it, then it should be pleasant to do so.

Flashy designs might get your attention at first, but they age quickly more often than not. Light, understated design might not be so eye catchy, but it’s this inconspicuousness that makes them usable over longer periods of time.

To sum up, when I think of iPod, two words come to my mind. Easy and restrained. Are these the same two words you’d use to describe your website?

If you found this post interesting and would like to hear more, please come to my talk at Cyberpipe on 8th of March .