Apple discontinues iPod after over two decades

Apple is discontinuing the iPod more than two decades after it first launched, stating that it will be available "while supplies last". The iPod touch, which is the most recent iteration of the music player, was last updated in 2019 and many of its features have since been integrated across Apple's product line, from the iPhone and Apple Watch to the iPad and Mac.

"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," Greg Joswiak, Apple's SVP of worldwide marketing, said. He added that the spirit of iPod lives on, adding that the gadget "redefined how music is discovered, listened to, and shared.

The original iPod was introduced on 23 October 2001 and could contain 1,000 songs while running on 10-hour battery. Three years later, the iPod mini was introduced on 20 February 2004 and featured a smaller design. Apple certainly saw gains with its iPod because on 25 September 2006, it introduced the second generation of iPod nano which featured a thin design, bright colour display, six different colours, and up to 24 hours of battery life. Users could also put up to 2,000 songs.

The iPod touch was then introduced on 5 September 2007, showcasing a multi-touch interface and a 3.5-inch widescreen display. A few more iterations of the iPod were later launched, including the seventh generation of the iPod nano in 2012, the fourth generation of the iPod shuffle in 2015, and the seventh generation of the iPod touch in 2019.

Without a doubt, the iPod helped usher in a new era for music as it allowed for songs to be downloaded individually for 99 cents. During Apple’s Let’s Talk iPhone event in 2011, it was revealed that iPod's market share had been above 70% "for a long time" and that the tech giant sold more than 300 million units back then, CNBC said. Between 2010 to 2011 ended June, Apple also sold 45 million iPods and half were consumers' first iPod. In 2014, however, Apple saw unit sales fall by about 24% compared with the previous fiscal year, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Meanwhile, several netizens took to Twitter to bid goodbye to the iPod, with many calling it the end of an era.

https://twitter.com/MrDalekJD/status/1524082583503581186

https://twitter.com/HOMAGE/status/1524069698060566534

https://twitter.com/PureLifeEternal/status/1524099097602445313

https://twitter.com/samsheffer/status/1524089083798204416

https://twitter.com/keyon/status/1524082126307708928

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