Remember when the first iPod came out? Yes, it was 21 years ago. It set a new definition for the portable music player market. And in most cases, the music player dominated throughout its entire lifespan.
Soon after the success, newer models started to roll up on the shelves. But the lineup stopped growing after the upgraded (7th Gen) iPod touch, which was released in 2019.
For a while, the 7th iPod touch was the only iPod that you could find on the shelves after the 4th Gen Shuffle and the 7th Gen Nano were discontinued back in 2017.
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And the reign of iPods has now come to a standstill. Apple has moved with the notion that it will discontinue the iPod lineup entirely. In other words, no iPod 8th Gen or no new iPods will ever see the day’s light.
The iPod lineup is truly Apple’s oldest lineup, and with the discontinuation, the announcement does certainly marks an end to an era.
According to Apple’s Worldwide Marketing Senior Vice President, Greg Joswaik, “Today, the spirit of iPod lives on.” He further stated, “Bringing it to hundreds of millions of users in the way iPod impacted more than just the music industry — it also redefined how music is discovered, listened to, and shared.”
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With the discontinuation, the question of whether the world really needed a new iPod or not stands. Well, the fact that music streaming services have now taken over the music industry, a new iPod really does not make any sense.
People are not even storing their favorite music in offline storage. So, why would they bother carrying a device that’s core is to offer you music when you are offline?
Sony pulled the trigger with their affordable Walkman back in 2010. However, the case was a little different for the Walkman lineup.
Those were cassette players, and the world was moving towards digital music at that time. Now, Sony offers amped-up Walkman devices that boast high-end amp and DAC.
In other words, Sony is catering to the audio enthusiasts with their Walkman lineup now.
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However, the iPod lineup was pretty much for everyone. But everyone now relies on their phones for music. Considering that, Apple probably did the right thing with the iPod lineup.
That said, if you still want to grab your hands on an iPod, you still have the chance to get one. The 7th Gen iPod touch is still on the shelves.
And it will remain available until supplies last. After that, your best bet would be to opt for resales.
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.