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People are saying the iPod classic dies this year…again

classic

The iPod Classic is the gadget that refuses to die. Despite containing a hard drive when everything else is flash memory and physical controls when everything else is touchscreen, this 2009 device which isn’t a trillion miles removed from the original iPod design of 2001 remains on sale on the Apple Store to this day.

But not for long, according to Wired. The piece pulls together a whole bunch of commentators who all agree that this will be the year that Apple retires the elderly design. Perhaps they are right, but we can recall a certain rumor-phobe website called for the death of the iPod Classic as far back as 2011:

Specifically, if you want to buy an iPod shuffle or iPod classic from Apple, you should do it sooner rather than later. We’ve heard those two iPods are getting the axe this year [2011].

Ars Technica is also feeling an end to the iPod touch this time.

I have to say that I only retired mine earlier this year, though it had been relegated to in-car usage for several years before then, plugged into the back of the car stereo. I did like having my entire music collection available when driving, but eventually found I was using my iPhone (in Brodit dock) almost exclusively so I sold it to a friend. It’s still going strong with him.

Will Apple finally retire it? Maybe so, but previous reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated so we’re going to just wait and see.

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Comments

  1. John Merkowsky - 11 years ago

    Not happening. Called it. Also, fir… never mind.

  2. Dmitry Goncharenko - 11 years ago

    Ars Technica is also feeling an end to the iPod touch this time…<- did you mean to say classic or touch?

  3. rakinjannot - 11 years ago

    I got the reference at the end. Haha.

  4. devanealex - 11 years ago

    I want it to stay. Not because I want to buy one (although I did once have an iPod Video) but because it is testament to Apple’s incredible industrial design. Still now, 12 years after the original iPod was released, the design of the classic is just that – classic. A perfect example of timeless design which it seems only Apple is able to achieve at the moment.

  5. unwaith - 11 years ago

    I am considering buying one of these myself. The combination of MASSIVE hard drive with sturdy yet sleek design means it’s perfect for my travels, and 160GB of music will take me a loooong time to listen through.

    Sorted.

  6. Apple should make the iPod classic a companion device for iPad/iPhone. Put Wifi on it + a good management app in iOS + update to the latest 1.8 inch drive 500gig+.
    Then you can have tons of movies, music and stuff on you iPod and stream it to the iPad/Iphone. No more worrying about what movies to bring on your 16-128 gig iPad. Just put a bunch in the companion device.

    It won’t happen, since its not “elegant”.

    • PMZanetti - 11 years ago

      It won’t happen since the iPhone IS an iPod. Get a 128 GB model this time around when they’re available and there is barely any argument left.

      • mockery17 - 11 years ago

        The argument left is the price.

  7. PMZanetti - 11 years ago

    Its a like a museum within a salesroom floor.

    Not much room left for it as a product. There is still a market for the cheap shuffle, though.

  8. Ken Porter - 11 years ago

    I still use mine. It’s sooo much easier when driving to skip a song because I don’t have to take my eyes off the road — that’s the biggest drawback to touchscreen only devices. And when I travel it’s loaded up with about 140 movies so I can use the composite AV cable to watch them on any TV. If the end is indeed at hand then I’ll have to buy another one for backup.

  9. seacarter - 11 years ago

    iTunes Match + ever increasing capacities of iPhone and iPod touch = no need for the iPod Classic. It’s time this great design was consigned to the history books.

    • mistergsf - 11 years ago

      Until there is an iPhone or iPod with 160G capacity, the iPod Classic should remain. I have 15K songs in my library and I can carry it all on my Classic. I also have iTunes Match but some songs just won’t match or upload. Also, I don’t always have good reception or internet when traveling. You can also eat up a lot of data when streaming/downloading songs not on my iPhone when not on a local network. That said, if they do plan on ending it’s life, I’ll probably pick up another one before they’re gone.

  10. Nayer Hany - 11 years ago

    I agree that the iPod Classic will be discontinued soon. But the iPod touch, it can’t and won’t be discontinued, so as the other iPods!

  11. Ryan Genders - 10 years ago

    The classic is still around due to its lack of competition. I imagine when sales fall below a magic number it will be discontniued, but it must still have some profitability left in it. No money is going into development so why not keep it around?

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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