After more than 20 years it’s time to say goodbye. An Apple device that first came onto the market in 2001 will no longer be produced with immediate effect. More specifically, it’s about the well-known iPod.
Almost every smartphone user uses a streaming service. Be it Apple Music or Spotify. But the world looked very different 20 years ago. Discman and MP3 players were the hits. However, these were not particularly handy and did not have much storage space – until the first iPod was introduced in 2001. A small and practical music gadget that fits in every pocket and initially had five gigabytes of memory.
iPod has always been evolving
Apple’s first-generation iPod was only compatible with the Mac. But over time, the Cupertino-based tech company continued to develop the music companion, eventually producing five different models: the classic iPod, iPod mini, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and iPod touch. While the first classic iPod only had five gigabytes of memory, the seventh generation iPod touch was even equipped with 256 gigabytes.
You can watch the keynote of the first iPod again in the video below. Former CEO Steve Jobs explains the functions and benefits of the small gadget. From today’s perspective, these are self-evident, but for that time they were almost revolutionary.
Also Read: The Reason Apple AirPods Are White
However, over the years it has been realized that sooner or later Apple’s iPods will not have a future. Streaming services have become the norm, making portable music players obsolete. This is one of the reasons why Apple announced on its newsroom page that production will be stopped with immediate effect. Any leftover iPods will be sold while stocks last. After that they will probably be offered as collectibles on various sales sites.