Apple discontinues iPod touch after 15 years, ending the iPod era

Apple announced on May 11 that it is discontinuing the iPod touch. It is the last versions of the iPod still on sale.

Since its first release in 2001, iPods have revolutionised storing and listening to music on the go. The iPod touch was introduced in 2007 as an upgraded version of its predecessors, allowing users to not just download music, but also apps on the Apple Store, and use FaceTime. 

“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 Mr Greg Joswiak, senior vice president of Apple’s Worldwide Marketing. 

Throughout the years, Apple has found new ways to integrate people’s personal music libraries in their beloved iPods into their everyday Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. This reduced our reliance on exclusive music players such as the iPod.

On top of that, music nowadays is mostly streamed on smartphone apps like Spotify or Apple. As paying for music subscriptions has become a more affordable option compared to buying each song, the popularity of the iPod also waned. 

As the iPod era reaches its closing chapter, customers have one last chance to purchase an iPod touch on the Apple website, Apple stores, and Apple Authorised Resellers – while stocks last.