Reliability and durability

iPods have been criticized for their short life-span, fragile hard drives, and planned obsolescence.[47][48] A 2005 survey conducted on the MacInTouch website found that the iPod had an average failure rate of 13.7%. It concluded that some models were more durable than others.[49] In particular, failure rates for iPods employing hard drives was usually above 20% while those with flash memory had a failure rate below 10%, indicating poor hard drive durability. In late 2005, many users complained that the surface of the first generation iPod nano can become scratched easily, rendering the screen unusable.[50][51] A class action lawsuit was also filed.[52] Apple initially considered the issue a minor defect, but later began shipping these iPods with protective sleeves.