13. Both Philips And RealNetworks Turned Down The iPod Idea... Before Apple Eventually Adopted It
The iPod was actually created by an inventor named Tony Fadell - who only sold the idea to Apple once he had been turned down by two other huge electronics companies. During the late-1990s, Fadell approached both Philips and RealNetworks with the idea for a digital music player - only to be told there was no future for such a product. Steve Jobs and Apple were impressed though, and Fadell was added to the team who created the iPod - which was released in October 2001 and went on to be a huge success.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
