The iPod is no more, with Apple discontinuing both the Nano and Shuffle. That leaves the iPod Touch as the only Apple device now sporting the iPod name. And we all know that's more than just a standalone music player. And with that another piece of tech falls to the mighty smartphone.
Technology evolves at an astonishing rate. There was a brief period when digital music players were the latest and greatest thing. Then the iPhone was released, and standalone music players lost their luster. 10 years on and Apple is now hammering the final nail in the iPod's coffin.
The iPodocalypse Is Upon Us
MacRumors was the first to notice the impending iPodocalypse when it reported that Apple had removed the Nano and Shuffle from its website and online store. While you can still see results for the devices when you search, clicking the "learn more" or "buy" links will get you nowhere.
Apple then confirmed the news that both devices were being put out to pasture, telling The Verge, "Today, we are simplifying our iPod lineup with two models of iPod touch now with double the capacity starting at just $199 and we are discontinuing the iPod shuffle and iPod nano."
The iPod Touch is indeed sticking around for the time being. And Apple has shown something of a commitment to the Touch by doubling the storage capacities of both models. So you can now buy an iPod Touch with either 32GB or 128GB of storage. The previous models offered 16GB and 64GB.
The Nano and Shuffle were both originally released in 2005. They proved popular for a time, and offered a way for people who couldn't afford an iPhone or iPad to join the Apple cult. However, both were starting to show their age, especially as neither had been updated for several years.
Nostalgia Is a Powerful Emotion
We're pretty sure no one was actually buying these things any more, but nostalgia is such a powerful emotion that we're still sad to see the iPod being consigned to history. The iPod had a long and successful run though; it's just that we all moved onto smartphones and Spotify.
Do you own an iPod Nano or Shuffle? Are you sorry to see these iconic devices being discontinued? Are you going to hunt down the remaining stock before it disappears? On what device(s) do you listen to music these days? The comments are open below...
Image Credit: Chloe Media via Flickr