Apple’s Flagship Music Product iPod Trimmed Down to One Model

If you’re in your 20s, you most likely remember the day you got your first iPod. Whether it occurred in the earliest days with the bulky yet revolutionary classic, or the vibrantly colorful iPod Mini, it was a glorious day. Over the years, Apple has created an expansive amount of different iPods developed for different purposes, all with one commonality – to provide on-the-go music for consumers across the globe. Now, 16 years after the first generation iPod went to market, the iPod line has been trimmed down to one single model available for sale, the iPod Touch.

This news really should come as no surprise, but its a slightly sad announcement nonetheless. The iPod has played such a significant role in the life of many music fans, and its near departure from retail officially ushers in a massive shift in music consumption that has been developing over the last few years. The first iPod was released in 2001, amid the massive Napster music streaming copyright lawsuit. Now in 2017, music streaming services have completely taken over in a way that allows the company and artists to get paid, and is easy to use for consumers, making the iPod practically obsolete. Keeping the iPod Touch as the only model is a logical move because it still allows consumers who do not want to purchase a smartphone to still have a high-tech MP3 player that has access to popular streaming services.

Downloaded music has taken a major hit due to streaming, and now Apple is down to one lonely iPod product. The iPod revolutionized the on-the-go music game, and was a big part of many of our childhoods. While the iPod has not completely died, we are near the end, and we’ll miss the days when showing off your newest model was the thing to do. However, with the end of one era in technology always comes a new one, and the future of music consumption is certainly exciting.