Apple Says Goodbye To The iPod Classic

Happy Retirement iPod Classic: First Released October 23, 2001 – Retired September 9, 2014

It’s been a long time since the original iPod came out back in 2001. The device revolutionised the way people carry their music with them on the go. The device’s click wheel was one of Apple’s greatest earning innovations – when the iPod first came out it was one of the only pieces of technology that allowed the user to browse their MP3 library with a quick spin.

ipod-obit-0 — Once upon a time this little click wheel was the best thing ever.

Combined with iTunes, the iPod spearheaded the music revolution in the early ‘00s, pushing forward an entire section of the market into MP3 player production. Although imitators at the time never seemed to surpass Apple’s device, it became the springboard off which the iPhone dived onto the scene of the developing smartphone market.

Various additions and upgrades to the device, culminating over generation after generation of best selling models, the iPod fast became the must have tech device for the tech consumer on the go. As the demands of those consumers were met, additional sizes of the device were released, such as the iPod Nano and Shuffle. Both models downed the size of the classic and made it even more portable than before.

As portable video became the big thing for the iPod and iTunes, later editions of the device added video support, and eventually, after nearly ten years on the scene, the iPod touch brought a touch screen to the party, combining most major features found in the massively popular iPhone, such as third party apps and additional software.

So long, big old friend. Please try not to cry.

Nowadays, the iPod Touch is able to handle most of the functions found on the iPod Classic, and the iPhone does all those and more. The click wheel will always be one of Apple’s most famous innovations, and will go down in history as the biggest contributing factor to Apple’s success today, but, as we’ve said, it’s been a long time for the iPod Classic. A long time, which, sadly now has to come to an end.

The last few models of the iPod Classic is still going strong. Regardless of its lack of Apps, internet access, or other fancy flashy features, it still performs as well as the day it was manufactured. One day, the device may well be a collectible.

As a personal note from the author, this is the first time the retirement of an electronic device has provoked such an emotional response. We will try to remain strong during this sad time.

Source: Stuff

Via: The Independant