W ire ▁ports ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁Event ually , ▁Apple ▁began ▁sh ipping ▁i P ods ▁with ▁USB ▁c ables ▁instead ▁of ▁Fire W ire , ▁although ▁the ▁latter ▁was ▁available ▁separately . ▁As ▁of ▁the ▁first - gener ation ▁i Pod ▁N ano ▁and ▁the ▁fifth - gener ation ▁i Pod ▁Classic , ▁Apple ▁dis cont in ued ▁using ▁Fire W ire ▁for ▁data ▁transfer ▁( while ▁still ▁allowing ▁for ▁use ▁of ▁Fire W ire ▁to ▁charge ▁the ▁device ) ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁reduce ▁cost ▁and ▁form ▁factor . ▁As ▁of ▁the ▁second - gener ation ▁i Pod ▁Touch ▁and ▁the ▁fourth - gener ation ▁i Pod ▁N ano , ▁Fire W ire ▁charg ing ▁ability ▁has ▁been ▁removed . ▁The ▁second -, ▁third -, ▁and ▁fourth - gener ation ▁i Pod ▁Sh uffle ▁uses ▁a ▁single ▁ 3 . 5   mm ▁min ij ack ▁phone ▁conne ctor ▁which ▁acts ▁as ▁both ▁a ▁head phone ▁jack ▁or ▁a ▁USB ▁data ▁and ▁charg ing ▁port ▁for ▁the ▁dock / c able . ▁ ▁The ▁dock ▁conne ctor ▁also ▁allowed ▁the ▁i Pod ▁to ▁connect ▁to ▁access ories , ▁which ▁often ▁supp lement ▁the ▁i Pod ' s ▁music , ▁video , ▁and ▁photo ▁play back . ▁Apple ▁s ells ▁a ▁few ▁access ories , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁now - dis cont in ued ▁i Pod ▁Hi - Fi , ▁but ▁most ▁are ▁manufact ured ▁by ▁third ▁parties ▁such ▁as ▁Bel kin ▁and ▁Griff in . ▁Some ▁peri pher als ▁use