The last of Apple’s iPod range has quietly been put to rest as of May 15th – marking a solemn end to a product line which ultimately helped shape modern consumer electronics as we know and use them today.
In an official release, Apple has confirmed that it has discontinued its iPod line and that the device will be available for as long as supplies last.
First released in October of 2001 in the form factor which most people would likely associate as the ‘Classic’, the iPod was put to rest under its Touch guise – its usefulness having long been transmuted to the iPhone and iPad.
The music player, which perhaps lived past its time, was ultimately brought down by many of the industries it helped create – from a digital streaming service (Apple Music), to a portable communicator (the iPhone) and the widespread emergence of podcasts (which ultimately served to give the product its namesake).
While the essence of the iPod will continue to live on in future iPhones, Apple was careful to note that the continuity of the product line also exists in the form of the HomePod Mini and Apple TV.
In a statement, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, stated that “Music has always been part of our core at Apple, and bringing it to hundreds of millions of users in the way iPod did impacted more than just the music industry — it also redefined how music is discovered, listened to, and shared… Today, the spirit of iPod lives on. We’ve integrated an incredible music experience across all of our products, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch to HomePod mini, and across Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. And Apple Music delivers industry-leading sound quality with support for spatial audio — there’s no better way to enjoy, discover, and experience music.”
