Apple introduced the compact iPod mini at Macworld Expo in January 2004. The iPod mini incorporated a click wheel, which eliminated the need for 4 separate control buttons and allowed Apple to make a more compact music player.
To protect the tiny hard drive, the iPod mini was build of aluminum.
The 4 GB iPod mini was available in 5 colors: silver, gold, blue, pink, and green. It used the same dock connector as the 3G iPod.
The iPod mini was the first iPod to charge using USB 2.0.