Goodbye, iPod: Apple stops making last model

One of the most popular and iconoclastic gadgets in history is going out of business today. The iPod Touch was the last device to carry the iPod name.

Until the current stock sells out, you will only be able to buy the iPod Touch from the stores. There is a store page for the iPod on Apple's website, but it isn't easy to find in the main site navigation and it has a marker.

The current iPod Touch model isn't all that old, but that was just a minor refresh, and Apple hasn't introduced a completely new iPod model in many years.

The demise of the iPod has been predicted for a long time, but it has hung on thanks to its role as an Apple accessory for kids and teens. The discontinuation of the iPod makes the case that it lives on in other products, like the iPad and the iPhone. This is a quote attributed to Apple marketing VP Greg Joswiak.

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. 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.

The press release states that consumers who might be interested in the iPod could buy the iPhone SE.

The first iPod was introduced in 2001 and the product line has included many variations over the years. The iPod Touch was first seen in 2007. It is the seventh iteration of the iPod Touch, which is similar to an Apple device but without cellular calling.

The iPod was one of the world's best-selling gadgets, but the writing was on the wall before the introduction of the iPhone.

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