Apple has been moving away from its iPod days for years. Once the company’s most important product, the range has taken a backseat role in recent years as Apple has slowly discontinued old products. In 2014, the company said a fond farewell to the iPod Classic, to many the definitive MP3 player. It’s now axing the remainder of its “traditional” iPod products, leaving just the Internet-equipped Touch.
As noticed by The Verge, Apple has quietly removed its website listings for the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle. The company hasn’t made a public statement but a spokesperson confirmed to the news site that the products are end-of-life. No more units will be restocked as they are being officially discontinued.
The new iPod nano lineup, available in several colours
Courtesy Apple
The removal of the Shuffle and Nano from Apple’s line-up marks the end of an era for the company. The devices were the last remaining iPods to lack Internet access. The absence of iOS and support for the App Store has left them unable to align with Apple’s new service-first business model, where revenue from product sales is just part of the equation.
From a strategic perspective, the legacy iPods are irrelevant to Apple’s modern focus on offering cross-device, web-based experiences. Nonetheless, the iPods remain popular with small groups of core fans who may be hard pressed to find alternative options.
These images of the iPod Shuffle, Nano and Touch in new colours were found deep inside iTunes 12.2 source files
iTunes/MacRumours
Apple’s iPods have always been viewed as some of the finest MP3 players around, particularly with audiophiles and fitness enthusiasts who don’t want to carry a phone. The clip-on, iTunes-powered Shuffle has succeeded in this market for years so its withdrawal will force buyers to look elsewhere.
Apple’s adamant that the decision to discontinue Nano and Shuffle doesn’t spell the end of the entire iPod line. The iPod Touch will remain available indefinitely, priced from $199. It runs iOS and offers App Store access so it’s still worthwhile for Apple to keep supporting it.
In a move that will please fans of the Touch, Apple today signalled its commitment to the product by introducing new storage configurations. 32GB is now standard at $199, replacing the previous 16GB base model. The $299 price point now comes with a 128GB capacity, up from 64GB. Neither of the old versions will remain available but some third-party retailers are likely to continue selling through old stock.
