Before the iPhone, Apple made another industry-changing handheld device. Introduced in 2001, the original iPod, along with iTunes, revolutionized the music industry.
Click wheel. A huge library of tracks at your fingertips. iconic ad. Everyone knows what an iPod is, but there hasn’t been a new generation since 2019’s 7th-generation iPod Touch, which itself was the first new iPod since 2015.
We haven’t heard from Apple about its line of portable music players in more than two years since the last iPod was released – although it’s been in the audio game with the AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, AirPods 3 Take a seat and the HomePod Mini in the meantime.
Going to Apple’s website, though, any trace of the iPod appears to have been completely wiped off the first time I checked it.
Where has the iPod gone?
Go to the Apple website and see the main navigation now (go on, I’ll wait) You’ll find that the iPod doesn’t fall into any obvious category.
(Image credit: Apple)
I thought “AirPods” might be an option, since there’s a music connection there, but clicking on it gives me a submenu that only shows the company’s selection of headphones, as well as Apple Music.
However, I didn’t give up so easily. TV & Home may be the left area where the iPod is placed, but clicking again will bring up another blank space. Apple TV and HomePod Mini are the only hardware on offer here.
There’s an “Accessories” option, but there’s still no sign of an iPod here. I ended up clicking through all the menu options, but none brought me any closer to the iPod. Apple’s famous music player isn’t even mentioned in the main “store.”
I think Apple might quietly stop selling the iPod Touch — a classic move the Cupertino, California-based company likes to do, usually after a launch event, and the older generation is silently retired without mentioning it .
The iPhone XR was quietly retired after the release of the iPhone 13, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the iPhone 11 met a similar fate after the release of the iPhone 14.
But back to the iPod. I wanted to be thorough, so I walked to the search bar and typed “iPod”, fully expecting to be rejected again. The problem is, I am not.
i see your iPod
(Image credit: Apple)
There is the iPod Touch product page. Sitting there, waiting, hoping to visit. It just wants to be noticed. Notice I did it.
Click, yes, and you’ll get the iPod Touch’s full product page, pricing (starting at $199/£199/AU$299 for the 32GB model in case you’re wondering), and even the option to buy it.
The iPod Touch is in stock on Apple’s website and you can buy it right away. Apple just can’t find it easily.
But who wants to buy a 2019 iPod Touch nearly three years after its release? the answer is – perhaps – Almost no one.
What does the iPod Touch bring you?
The iPod Touch has a retro Apple feel, with the iPhone 6’s curvaceous design (albeit with a thinner frame) combined with the 4-inch, 640 x 1136 display we last saw on the original iPhone SE in 2016. There’s even a home button with Touch ID embedded.
Powering the 7th-generation iPod Touch is Apple’s A10 Fusion chip, which debuted in 2016’s iPhone 7 series. Remember, this iPod was launched in 2019. Not that it needs the same power as today’s iPhones, since it doesn’t have a SIM card and doesn’t have a cellular connection option. Here’s Wi-Fi for a lifetime.
Still, if you’re on Wi-Fi, you can make FaceTime calls, send texts via iMessage, monitor screen time, and download most apps from the App Store.
(Image credit: Future)
You also get an 8MP rear camera, a 1.2MP FaceTime front camera, 32GB, 128GB or 256GB of storage, six color options and a headphone jack. In the box, you can even find a pair of wired Apple EarPods. I did say it’s a vintage apple.
While the tech inside this 2019 device is by no means cutting-edge, when it comes to the operating system, it’s a surprise — the iPod Touch runs iOS 15 (version 15.4.1, to be exact) — Apple’s latest-generation operating system. system.
It originally ran iOS 12.3 when it was first released, but has since seen upgrades with every major iteration of the software — keeping the media player up to date with the latest features and security updates.
How long can it last?
The current-generation iPod Touch may still have some life left, especially considering the longevity of its predecessor, the iPod Touch, the sixth generation.
The latter launched on iOS 8.4, and its final update upgraded it to iOS 12.5.5. That’s four years of major iOS updates, giving 6th-gen iPods a decent amount of life. According to this run, the seventh-generation iPod Touch should have at least another year of software updates, including iOS 16, which should be released by the end of 2022.
2022 could be the last major software update for the iPod Touch, leaving Apple to think about 2023. Will it continue to force software upgrades to devices with severely outdated technology that may struggle to run future versions? Retire the iPod line forever; or introduce a bold eighth generation?
It’s hard to know now, but all possibilities seem to be on the table. Still, there’s been little chatter online about the eighth-generation portable music player, suggesting that Apple may have completed the iconic line. Follow this space.
I reached out to Apple for comment and will update this post if I hear back.
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