Long Live the King! Apple Discontinues Last iPod Model After 21-Year Run

Apple announced the end of an era on Tuesday, revealing that it would end production of the iPod Touch, the final iteration of the iPod mobile music device.

The California-based technology company made the announcement on Tuesday, explaining that the mobile devices had become obsolete as all of their functions have now become integrated into other Apple devices, like the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac computer.

“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,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said in the release.

“Today, the spirit of iPod lives on. We’ve integrated an incredible music experience across all of our products, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch to HomePod mini, and across Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. And Apple Music delivers industry-leading sound quality with support for spatial audio - there’s no better way to enjoy, discover, and experience music,” Joswiak added.

The first iPod debuted in 2001, hitting the mobile mp3 music player market like an earthquake, bringing 5 gigabyte hard drive the company boasted would “put 1,000 songs in your pocket.” At the time, the best competitors offered storage for a few dozen songs at most. Further, the new device was compatible with existing Mac computers also built by the company. The iTunes online music store followed two years later, further buttressing its dominance.

The iPod was Apple’s first foray into mobile devices while the company was still heavily dependent on sales of personal computers. By 2006, iPods represented 40% of its revenue. The following year, the iPhone was released, which began the slow decline of the iPod’s dominance. The final iteration, the iPod Touch, was introduced the same year, and is presently in its 7th generation.