Portable media player

You can carry music with you.

These small tools hold songs. They can hold pictures too. They can even play movies.

Some use tiny chips to store files. These do not have moving parts. This helps them save power. They also do not skip when you move.

Other tools use a small hard disk. These can hold many thousands of songs. Most use a battery to work. You can plug in headphones to listen. It is a fun way to enjoy media.

A portable media player (PMP) is a small device.

You can carry it anywhere. It holds digital files like songs, photos, and movies.

These players use batteries to work. You can plug in headphones to listen to music.

There are different ways these tools store files. Some use flash memory. This is a tiny chip with no moving parts. It uses less power and does not skip if you move.

Other players use a small hard disk. These can hold many thousands of songs. But they are heavier and can break more easily.

To get music, you use a process called syncing. You connect the player to a computer with a cable. Then, you use software to move files to the device.

Some players also have a screen. You use buttons or a touch screen to pick a song. Some even have a wheel to scroll through lists.

Most players can play MP3 files. This is a common way to save digital music.

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These tools let you listen to music and watch videos on the go. They can also show you digital photos.

Most PMPs use batteries to work. You can plug headphones into a small jack to hear your songs. Some devices even have their own built-in speakers.

Some players even let you record your own voice or listen to the radio.\n\nThese devices work by turning digital files into sound.

First, the player reads a file from its memory. This file is a sequence of numbers called digital data. An audio codec, which is a special microchip, then converts those numbers into an analogue signal. This signal is the type of sound that humans can actually hear. The device often uses a small memory buffer to keep the music playing smoothly. This prevents the sound from stopping while the processor works. \n\nDigital players first appeared in the late 1990s.

This happened after people created the MP3 codec in Germany. This codec is a way to make music files smaller so they fit on devices. Companies in South Korea were the first to lead the way with these players. By the year 2002, they sold most of these devices around the world. Later, the Apple iPod became a very famous part of this industry.

\n\nThere are different ways these players store your files.

Flash-based players use tiny chips called flash memory. These have no moving parts, so they do not skip if you move around. They also use less battery power. Other players use a small hard disk drive.

These can hold huge amounts of data, like 500 GB. However, they are heavier and more fragile than flash memory. In 2007, companies sold 210 million PMPs worldwide.

\n\nTo get music onto a player, you use a process called syncing.

You connect the player to a computer using a USB cable. Then, you use special software to move your music library to the device. Some people use a computer to \"drag and drop" files just like moving items on a desk. Other people use online stores to buy songs directly.

Nowadays, many people use smartphones to do these same jobs. Smartphones act like very advanced portable media players.", "media": [ "File:Sansa Clip (Clip).JPG", "File:Gigabeat S Black.jpg", "File:IRiver iFP-190TC,1.jpg", "File:Noname MP3 player - case removed-6800.jpg", "File:Ipad backlight transparent.png", "File:NETrax mp3 player with docking station.png", "File:Ipod backlight transparent.png", "File:Creative muvo TX FM 512mb.jpg", "File:Zenm.jpg", "File:Diamond Rio PMP300.jpg", "File:Sandisk Sansa Clip.JPG", "File:Newsmy ManMan A3.jpg" ] }

A portable media player (PMP), often called a digital audio player (DAP), is a handheld electronic device.

These devices are designed to store and play digital media files. This media includes audio, images, and video files. PMPs are distinct from analogue players. Analogue players use physical media like cassette tapes or vinyl records. In contrast, PMPs rely on digital data stored on internal or removable memory. They are essential tools for mobile entertainment, allowing users to carry vast libraries of content anywhere.

The operation of a PMP involves a specific sequence of digital processing.

It begins with digital sampling. This process converts an audio wave into a sequence of binary numbers. These numbers are stored in formats like MP3. During playback, an embedded processor reads these files from storage. The data moves into a RAM-based memory buffer. This buffer acts as a temporary holding area to ensure smooth playback. An audio codec microchip then converts the compressed digital file into an analogue sound signal. This signal is known as decoded PCM audio. To save battery power, the device may enter a low power idle state. It only powers up briefly to decode more audio once the output buffer is nearly empty.

There are several distinct types of storage technology used in these devices.

Flash-based players use flash memory, which is a non-mechanical solid-state device. Because they have no moving parts, they are resilient to mechanical shock. They also require less battery power and will not skip during movement.

Hard drive-based players use an embedded hard disk drive. As recently as 2010, these were common and offered capacities up to 500 GB. However, hard drives are larger, heavier, and more fragile than flash memory. A third type includes MP3 CD players.

These decode digital files from CD-ROMs. They are often a less expensive alternative and can also play standard audio CDs.

Users interact with PMPs through various displays and control interfaces.

Some devices, like the iPod Shuffle, have no screen at all. Other models feature monochrome LCD displays, similar to pocket calculators. High-end units use large, high-resolution, full-color displays like LCD or OLED screens. These screens allow users to view photographs or movies. Controls vary widely between models. Some use simple buttons for skipping tracks. Others use touch-screens, such as the iPod Touch. Many manufacturers adopted the scroll wheel interface pioneered by Apple. Other designs include the 5-way D-pad or the "squircle" swipe-pad used on the Zune.

The history of the PMP is tied to the development of digital compression.

Digital audio players appeared in the late 1990s. This followed the creation of the MP3 codec in Germany. South Korean startups pioneered many of the first MP3-playing devices. By 2002, these companies controlled most of the global sales. Eventually, the Apple iPod came to define the industry. In 2007, the global market was massive, with 210 million PMPs sold worldwide. This represented US$19.5 billion in sales. By 2008, video-enabled players began to overtake audio-only models in popularity.

Content is transferred to a PMP through a process called syncing.

Most users connect the device to a personal computer via a USB cable. Some devices appear to the computer as a simple disk drive. In these cases, users can manually drag and drop files. Other devices, like the iPod or Zune, require specialized management software. This software creates a digital library on the computer. The library is then synced to the player. Some advanced units now allow for wireless syncing via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Users can also purchase content directly from digital marketplaces like the iTunes Store.

The rise of mobile technology has changed the PMP landscape significantly.

The increasing sales of smartphones and tablet computers caused a decline in dedicated PMP sales. This led most manufacturers to exit the industry during the 2010s. However, smartphones themselves can be considered advanced PMPs because they perform most of the same functions. The specialized market still exists in certain forms. For example, Sony continues to produce the Walkman line.

The global portable media player market was valued at US$26.42 billion in 2024. It is projected to grow to US$36.24 billion by 2029. This represents a compound annual growth rate of 6.9%.