Apple has officially discontinued the iPod, more than 20 years since its introduction revolutionised music business and consumption.
More than 20 years since introducing it, Apple has officially discontinued the iPod. Introduced in 2001, the iPod was a revolutionary gadget that could fit up to 1000 songs in your pocket, which was unheard of at the time.
But, as technology advances, it has changed how music is consumed and the iPod has lost its touch (snare roll).
“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,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing in a statement shared on Apple.com. “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.”
The first iPod came out in October 2001, and the gadget was a huge success — you saw it everywhere; schools, campuses, music videos and movies. The lineup grew in years that followed to iPod nano, iPod mini and its current generation iPod Touch, introduced in 2007.
The invention of the iPod led to the introduction of the iTunes store which changed music business and consupmption forever.
But, in 2022, a gadget whose sole purpose is to play music isn’t revolutionary anymore, as its functions have been integrated into smartphones and tablets. The iPod touch will be available while stocks still last, Apple said.