Apple has decided to pull the plug on the production of the iPod Touch (7th gen), discontinuing the revolutionary iOS-based music player introduced 15 years ago.
The announcement doesn’t specifically mention the end of the product, but it says iPod Touch will only be available while supplies last, which means the production of the $199 device has ceased.
The iPod touch is more than just a music player; able to be used as a handheld gaming device or a digital camera, while it’s also capable of connecting to the internet via WiFi.
The most recent model was the 7th gen iPod Touch that came out in May 2019, being the only iPod that was left alive after the discontinuation of the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle in July 2017. It uses a relatively powerful A10 Fusion chip coupled with a 4-inch Retina display and up to 256 GB of storage.
The device opened a world of media consumption for its users through Apple Music and Apple Arcade, while it currently runs the latest available iOS version, iOS 15.
Apple isn’t the type of company that gives specific explanations for strategic product decisions, but most likely, this has to do with supply chain stress and low unit sales.
The short announcement of the iPod’s discontinuation highlights alternative choices from Apple’s lineup like the $429 iPhone SE or the $279 Apple Watch SE for those on the go, or the more comfy $329 iPad for those bound at home.
While portable music players and “semi-smart” handhelds are a niche today, given that smartphones are doing everything, there are some categories of users who will miss the iPod, most notably kids.
The iPod is a small and light music player with a headphone jack, supports games, doesn’t receive phone calls, can be used to listen to audiobooks or read e-books, and has an 8 MP camera.
If that sounds like something you want, or if you believe the iPod Touch will acquire a collectible status soon, you can still purchase it through apple.com, Store locations, and resellers while supplies last.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com