It was phenomenal. Back in the early 2000s when Apple launched its first iPod model it changed the way that everyone experiences music. Prior to the release, CDs were the most popular format for music. When it became possible to add thousands of songs to an iPod with at least 10 hours of battery life, music and culture shifted.
Over 20 years later, it is interesting that Apple is choosing to discontinue its line of music players. The latest iteration, the 7th generation iPod Touch, is still being sold at the moment. The product is basically an iPhone without the ability to make calls or text messages. It is a very sophisticated piece of hardware. It is light, durable and the most impressive line of iPod. It’s perfect for people who do not want to be connected to the internet when they are listening to music or when they are working out.
If the latest product is so excellent why is Apple taking it away? Apple has not come forward and given a direct answer to this, but analysts speculate that iPod sales have slowed down because you can use iTunes on all iPhone models. At this point, having a product that is focused primarily on the use of iTunes may not be as important in the market today as it were yesterday.
I own a 7th generation iPod Touch. I love the product. I use it everyday when I go to the gym and for listening to music when I’m relaxing. I do not want to see it go away yet because I’m not fully invested in the Apple ecosystem. I am an android smartphone and Windows PC user. Over the years, the iPod software and hardware has not worked as well on other platforms. Many users find it difficult to manage iTunes on Windows 10. At some point, Apple is going to stop providing updates to all iPod, and as a consumer that will put me in an interesting spot. In the near future music and data is going to be more accessible and convenient for me if I choose to buy Apple products. While I like the quality of Apple products, I’ve been a PC user for a longtime and changing from Windows would be a very strenuous process for me. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with consumers like me.
There has been no information released stating that Apple plans to discontinue iTunes. It makes the company billions of dollars each year and has been successful for almost two decades. In order to make the service more accessible perhaps Apple can release a new product, some type of proxy hardware that can be a detachable extension of the iPhone so that users can listen to music without other components disrupting them. Also, Apple Music is still a very successful music streaming platform. With the iPod being discontinued, Apple should have more time and money to invest in Apple Music and make it the best it can be.
While it’s disappointing there will not be an 8th generation iPod, Apple products and services are still functioning as well as they can. Expect Apple to continue to find innovative ways for their users to connect with music and other content.