End of an era as Apple stops iPod production

End of an era as Apple stops iPod production
Steve Jobs introducing the iPod Mini in 2004. Credit: Belga/AFP

Apple has stopped producing its iconic iPod Touch music player after more than 20 years. The last model that the tech giant produced will be available as long as there are stocks.

The iconic iPod was created by none other than Apple founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, who died in 2011. He introduced the iPod in October 2001, with different versions appearing since then over the years.

It changed the way we listened to music and marked the beginning of a defining shift from CDs to MP3s as a preferred listening format.

The many different types of iPods, with the first portable music player launching in 2001.

In another shift from downloading MP3s to streaming services, by 2014 Apple had already stopped producing the classic version with control wheels and a small screen.

In 2017, the smaller iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle were also stopped. The iPod Touch, which has a closer resemblance to an iPhone due to its touchscreen, had a final update in 2019.

Back in the day

At the turn of the century, iPods were a popular way to listen to music before smartphones took over. Apple released its first iPod in 2001, with a model that offered space for a thousand songs.

Later versions were smaller and had colour screens, while still retaining space for music. The original iPods features a control wheel, which users could use to move through their music lists.

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In 2007, Apple introduced the iPod Touch, similar to an iPhone but without the function of a telephone. The latest generation was launched in 2019.

The popularity of smartphones has meant that the portable music players have been less sold for years, and the last plug has been finally pulled now.


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