After 20 Years, Apple Discontinues iPod

It’s been a good run.

R.I.P. iPod.

On Tuesday (May 10), the electronics producer Apple announced that it will discontinue the production of any and all iPod devices and its last remaining models will be available only “while supplies last.”

For context, Apple discontinued the iPod Classic back in 2014. And it last updated the iPod Touch three years ago in 2019.

But in its heyday, the device was ubiquitous amongst music lovers of all ages and demographics. When it was released some 20 years ago, the iPod changed the way people carried and listened to music. It was a revolution that helped put the company on the map in big ways.

It was groundbreaking to know that you could hold thousands of songs on one device with no skipping from jostling or joggling.

While the iPod was not the first portable MP3 player, it was the biggest and best.

The device was introduced in November of 2001 and from then it was a massive success. Commercials for the iPod even helped to break artists like Feist, The Ting Tings, Jet, Chairlift, and Franz Ferdinand with their popular music video-like commercials.

Today, MP3s are less important with the advent of streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. Also, many modern cell phones now have the storage to store hundreds of songs.

Now, many on eBay are bracing for the prices of (nostalgic) iPods to go through the roof. There are even dedicated Reddit pages that highlight fans who restore the electrical devices.

Fans can still purchase the iPod Touch via the Apple website. Below, watch a YouTube video of each and every iPod commercial.

Photo by Gado/Getty Image