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iPod Shuffle Shipping Times Worsen as Retail Stores Run Out of Stock

MacRumors

MacRumors

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Supplies of Apple's lowest priced iPod, the $49 iPod shuffle, are temporarily dwindling as shipping times on Apple's website drop to 7 - 10 days and Apple Retail Stores run out of stock around the country, reports 9to5Mac.

ipodshuffle.png
According to multiple sources, supplies of the iPod Shuffle are dwindling across Apple's physical retail and online channels. In fact, Apple has warned its retail employees that Shuffle supplies will be short for an unspecified period of time and that customers seeking to buy a Shuffle via a retail store should be directed to Apple's online store.
Click to expand...
The other two iPod lines, the nano and touch, aren't seeing the same dwindling of supplies as they both display 24 hour shipping times and are available now in most of Apple's retail stores. It's unclear why the shuffle is seeing supply problems, but one possibility is that Apple is seeing a temporary shortage of iPod shuffle components, impacting the company's ability to make new iPod shuffles.

New York City appears to be the city mostly suffering from the iPod shuffle shortage, while the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago seem to have a sporadic number of stores without any stock.

Apple hasn't updated the iPod shuffle since September 2013. In early 2014, CEO Tim Cook said that the iPod was a "declining business". In September 2014, Apple discontinued the iPod Classic due to the difficulty in purchasing parts to manufacture it and a shrinking audience for the device.

Article Link: iPod Shuffle Shipping Times Worsen as Retail Stores Run Out of Stock
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/01/07/ipod-shuffle-stock-dwindles/
sshambles

sshambles

macrumors 6502a
Oct 19, 2005
766
1,128
Australia
Shuffles are great for running, especially given the latest iPhones are too big to run with.

We all know what's happening next here though - extinction.
 
S

Shadow Runner

macrumors regular
Jun 14, 2010
116
71
They need to come out with only one iPod. Storage that ranges from 16GB to 128 or 256, has a small touch screen like 2" or so, and built in clip. This would satisfy the people that get it for exercise and the people that want a simple iPod that holds all their music.
 
elTylerr

elTylerr

macrumors newbie
Oct 11, 2013
7
0
It would be completely sad to see the entire iPod family become extinct :( it's one of the original products that brought Apple into the market-changing Spotlight.
 
Yebubbleman

Yebubbleman

macrumors 603
May 20, 2010
5,789
2,379
Los Angeles, CA
MacRumors said:
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Supplies of Apple's lowest priced iPod, the $49 iPod shuffle, are temporarily dwindling as shipping times on Apple's website drop to 7 - 10 days and Apple Retail Stores run out of stock around the country, reports 9to5Mac.

The other two iPod lines, the nano and touch, aren't seeing the same dwindling of supplies as they both display 24 hour shipping times and are available now in most of Apple's retail stores. It's unclear why the shuffle is seeing supply problems, but*one possibility is that Apple is seeing a temporary shortage of iPod shuffle components, impacting the company's ability to make new iPod shuffles.

New York City appears to be the city mostly suffering from the iPod shuffle shortage, while the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago seem to have a sporadic number of stores without any stock.

Apple hasn't updated the iPod shuffle since September 2013. In early 2014, CEO Tim Cook said that the iPod was a "declining business". In September 2014, Apple discontinued the iPod Classic*due to the difficulty in purchasing parts to manufacture it and a shrinking audience for the device.

Article Link: iPod Shuffle Shipping Times Worsen as Retail Stores Run Out of Stock
Click to expand...

Certainly, of all the iPods, they could theoretically keep the iPod shuffle going forever as it doesn't really need to change at this point. They could give it 4GB like its poorly designed predecessor and sell it with 2GB and 4GB capacities, maybe give it a better battery (as that thing's battery was noticeably worse than that of the second generation), but beyond that, I don't think the shuffle needs that much tweaking.

I would use it all the time in the car as I would usually shuffle a playlist in there anyway and tactile buttons were easier to use than the touch-screen controls of the iPod touch (especially in the iOS 7 and 8 era), and I guess for that reason I still have a use for it. But otherwise, if this was the sign of the end times for it, I wouldn't be surprised.

Here's hoping stock refills soon.
 
Cayden

Cayden

macrumors 6502a
Jul 10, 2014
926
544
Utah
It is likely either dying out or they are doing a refresh, with the former being much more likely. It would be a shame for the product to die out. I know many runners that refuse to use anything but this while running due to having other products being unusable in that sort of situation. The storage space on iPhones becoming cheaper will fix some problems with discontinuing iPods, but it for sure does not fix the problem
 
The Doctor11

The Doctor11

macrumors 603
Dec 15, 2013
5,974
1,406
New York
Are the shuffles flying off the shevels like some other products though? No they are not. So most people will be just fine.
 
bwillwall

bwillwall

Suspended
Dec 24, 2009
1,031
802
Shadow Runner said:
They need to come out with only one iPod. Storage that ranges from 16GB to 128 or 256, has a small touch screen like 2" or so, and built in clip. This would satisfy the people that get it for exercise and the people that want a simple iPod that holds all their music.
Click to expand...

I agree with this actually, except they need to keep the touch separate probably. I guess the nano and the shuffle are the only others, so if they could combine them that would be pretty golden.
 
Slix

Slix

macrumors 65816
Mar 24, 2010
1,441
1,989
Here's hoping they actually do update the iPods in the coming months, perhaps in the spring along with the Apple Watch release.
 
nutmac

nutmac

macrumors 603
Mar 30, 2004
6,059
7,332
yukari said:
For work out, this is the best device.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't iPod nano be even better? Granted, it is larger than iPod shuffle (3" x 1.6" x 0.2" vs. 1.1" x 1.2" x 0.3"), but it is still incredibly small and can be paired with a Bluetooth wireless headset for added convenience.

And previous 6th generation iPod nano was practically the same size as shuffle (1.5" x 1.6" x 0.3").

bwillwall said:
I agree with this actually, except they need to keep the touch separate probably. I guess the nano and the shuffle are the only others, so if they could combine them that would be pretty golden.
Click to expand...

With iPod touch not getting any update for 2 years, I am afraid it is also being phased out. It seems iPad mini is its successor.
 
T

thekeyring

macrumors 68040
Jan 5, 2012
3,485
2,147
London
Noticed a few comments saying 'it was best for running' or 'best for working out'.

I think we all might know why it might be discontinued then.
 
Traverse

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
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Here
I definitely think there will alway be a market for a shuffle/nano type music player. Really, I feel that the old generation clip nano was perfect.
 
WissMAN

WissMAN

macrumors regular
Jun 19, 2009
146
14
Lone Star state
Are you thinking the apple watch is the new iPod shuffle? Naw...

I hear you on the yard work, running and exercising. I personally like to have specific playlists sometimes. The shuffle is too random for me. But that's just me.
 
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