Apple to pull plug on iPod?
Apple makes the most sought after gadgets on the planet, but they may be about to pull the plug on one that helped get the revolution rolling.
Classic is just another way to say outdated.
Rumor has it that the iPod Classic (and iPod Shuffle) may be discontinued.
Apple sells millions of iPods, but the Classic and Shuffle don’t have touchscreens, which are the interface of the present and future.
CNET’s Crave gadget blog notes there’s no mention of iPod news in the upcoming Oct. 4 Apple press conference, where details of the iPhone 5 will be announced.
The iPod first appeared 10 years ago … a long time in tech circles … and Apple would rather folks buy an iPhone (or iTouch) than an iPod, which contributed a mere 8 percent of the company’s revenue.
Crave has a great Steve Jobs quote: ”Just get rid of the crappy stuff and focus on the good stuff.”
The iPod Classic can hold 120 gigabytes of music … which I think is really good, but probably not enough to keep it from going the way of the Walkman.
What about the iPhone 5? It is speculated to have …
* A bigger screen
* A new teardrop shape
* An aluminum ‘unibody’
* A dual-core 1.2 ghz processor
* Angel wings (just kidding)
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47 comments Add your comment
Steve
September 29th, 2011
9:53 pm
SImple. If Apple gets rid of the iPod and Shuffle, other companies will just take over that portion of the market. There are plenty of other (and better depending on individual preferences) of devices out there for this.
For me, I bought one of the iPod Classics years ago because it had the Nike+ run sensor. There still isn’t have a comparative counter in the industry, so it stinks for me. The size is fine, and I would not have bought it had it been bigger. For users not needing this functionality there are cheaper and better players out there, with less annoying software. SanDisk makes similar and much cheaper players, with better control pads.
The simple fact I already had all my music catalogued for the iPod Classic made my smartphone decision lean towards Apple so I bought an iPhone. If I have not had the Classic already, I would not have bought the iPhone.
I think people with specific needs only met by the iPod and those who have multiple devices will be the only ones losing something here. If all you need is an MP3 player and you keep your phone exclusive of it, then just move away from Apple and live happily ever after (I personally don’t like Apple, but I have to admit they provide a specific product I really enjoy having).
Oh, and you Vinyl elitists can keep listening to your scratchy old crap. Don’t even give me this ‘it sounds better’ nonsense. To get good sound out of vinyl you need a mint or near mint condition album, and a top notch player (talking thousands of bucks). If you don’t have that you are absolutely fooling yourselves into believign you are hearing better quality. The cheap players most of you have give a crappy sound and you are too full of hot air to admit the quality stinks. You folks seriously crack me up.
jd
September 29th, 2011
9:55 pm
What is an iPod? Forgive me, but some of us choose to use real computers (ie, PCs), do our own programming, and keep our music on laptops. If the rest of you want to give up your security, freedom, money and identity to the rotten Apple, nothing’s standing in your way. I jsut refuse to be spoonfed their crappy gadgets and expensive music service. Whatever happened to doing your own programming rather than relying on Palo Alto to dictate what you need?
Quantez
September 29th, 2011
10:48 pm
Well that’s a kick in the head, I was planning on getting an iPod one of these days. Maybe a Twitter machine too.
I am about two generations behind on technology. My cellular phone still has a crank on the side that I use to get the operator to place my calls.
top ramen top
September 29th, 2011
11:24 pm
jd makes a good point.
The vinyl fetishists are amusing, but perhaps it IS entertaining to plop the needle cartridge down and watch the platter spin – and, as a free bonus with your music – you get hiss . A ritual whose appeal is lost on most music listeners. The large cover graphics are nice, though.
Marty
September 29th, 2011
11:31 pm
The classic is 160GB. They no longer sell the 120GB. If they aren’t going to replace the 160GB with something that holds the same 40,000 songs I am furious. I have a large record/CD collection and can fit it all on an IPod Classic. There is nothing wrong with the technology. The other models have a major flaw in that they don’t have a large enough hard drive.
Political Mongrel
September 30th, 2011
12:06 am
It’s a shame to kill all the click-wheel iPods. Visually impaired users can’t effectively use touch screens and the click wheel was an excellent solution for them.
Apple to pull plug on iPod? | About Apple
September 30th, 2011
12:25 am
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Apple to pull plug on iPod? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)
September 30th, 2011
3:11 am
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zunaj thomas
September 30th, 2011
9:58 am
I enjoy the classic and have not taken advantages of all the possibilities…but I will not purchase and iphone for music apps……please tell me this is just a rumour and not a fact
Lori
September 30th, 2011
12:01 pm
I wouldn’t want to listen to music on my iPhone either. The battery would run down to fast. I like my nano, because it’s small for exercising and is great for the car (I never listen to the radio)!! And the wheel concept is easier to use while driving than a touch screen. Although, I have to admit that the bluetooth feature on the iPhone & iTouch devices is nice in the car because you don’t need a cable to plug & play your music, it just does it magically!