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What year

  • 2021

    Votes: 5 20.0%
  • 2022

    Votes: 20 80.0%

  • Total voters
    25

retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,480
Likely never. I doubt many of the systems using the touch in late 2018/early 2019 when they last updated it are still using it, so the sales figures are probably next to none. I'd expect it to be discontinued later this year or early next year. 20th anniversary of the iPod is coming up, but Apple is unlikely to release anything to celebrate that.

In the off chance there is an update, it will probably be in the same design but with A12 or maybe A13 chip. I would not hold your breath. My mind was blown when they updated it last time, and the world has definitely moved on, even more so, from the idea since then.
 

Jcar893!!!

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 10, 2020
19
5
Likely never. I doubt many of the systems using the touch in late 2018/early 2019 when they last updated it are still using it, so the sales figures are probably next to none. I'd expect it to be discontinued later this year or early next year. 20th anniversary of the iPod is coming up, but Apple is unlikely to release anything to celebrate that.

In the off chance there is an update, it will probably be in the same design but with A12 or maybe A13 chip. I would not hold your breath. My mind was blown when they updated it last time, and the world has definitely moved on, even more so, from the idea since then.
The world has not moved on
 
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retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,480
When new iPod
I believe there has been enough explanation given on this topic already. No rumors on this topic since March 2019 which related to the May 2019 refresh, and a lot of those rumors were bogus already.

Don't wait for it. If you really want one the current one is serviceable, but I would recommend a used iPhone 8 or even SE 2, more base storage, much better battery life, cameras, and CPU. I will admit that it is bulkier than the iPod by quite a bit, and you need a headphone adapter, but those are the tradeoffs.
 

dz5b609

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2019
676
1,828
When new iPod
Never, it's dead. It already was a dead market a couple of years ago when they released the last one. Also, there's nothing wrong with the current iPod Touch they're selling, not even two years old which is basically new for a dead product category.
 

el-John-o

macrumors 68000
Nov 29, 2010
1,590
766
Missouri
The world has not moved on
Indeed it has. There are always enthusiasts. I have a handful of niche applications for a classic iPod (I actually use a 4th gen iPod Photo daily!), I love it. I'd buy a new one if they made a new one (probably). But I'm in a very small minority.

The iPhone is the product folks want. The iPod touch is such a small, niche market. For a while, the iPod touch was popular amongst a younger demographic for games and other apps; but that demographic has largely moved on to iPads. Plus, parents are giving kids full-fledged cellphones (iPhones) much earlier. Love it or hate it, it just "is", and that's the market.

The other thing is, the iPod touch was never really a product Apple wanted to sell. The early versions especially made lots of compromises over the classic iPod. The iPod touch was a gateway product to get you into an iPhone and/or an iPad. And frankly, with most carriers now offering monthly payments or subsidies for iPhones, it's usually easier for consumers to buy them over an iPod touch.

Heck, you're better off buying an old iPhone on eBay and just not connecting it to cellular data. The battery life on them is significantly better than an iPod touch when the cellular modems are off.

Apple is also making big investments into "the cloud", and is moving away from iTunes and even the iTunes store in favor of Apple Music. Apple wants you to stream your music, which is difficult to do on a Wi-Fi only device. (And yes, I know there are local download options; but that's still not how Apple sees the future; that's a stopgap feature.)

The world has moved on.
 
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DevinNj

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2016
1,722
1,740
New Jersey
The world has definitely changed and I think iPod has run it's course. This was targeted to the people who want the mobile experience but not necessarily the cellular phone aspect. Like in the example of a kid. But the world has certainly changed. 5 years ago you didn't have half the number of young kids that have cellphones like today. It's astonishing how many young children have cellphones nowadays. My 11 y/o got his first phone (with a cell plan) last year and was just about the last of his class to have one. Even his younger cousins 2nd/3rd grade had cell phones before him.

WTF, like where's my 9 y/o going without my knowledge that he'd need a cellphone to keep in touch? In the past, he got my hand-me-down phones to use as an iPod, which made more sense than paying for an iPod.

Not that the iPod was a bad device they're just not cheap for what they have to offer. A used cellphone has so much more of a bang for the buck.
 

elbert

Suspended
Jun 17, 2018
131
71
It's a waste of money on Apple's part to develop any trivial amount of money to update the iPod touch.

Only fringe customers would be interested and only buy one when it goes on $50 off sale.
 
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Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,704
4,476
Here
The world has not moved on

If you really want an separate iOS-based media player in that pocketable form, I think the current iPhone SE may be worth consideration. For a 256 GB variant, it is $150 more, which isn't trivial, but you get an 1800 mah vs a 1000 mah battery and you can buy it unlocked and never activate it with a carrier.

It is bigger and heavier, but no much more so and you get a larger screen (not sure if pro or con for you). My only real complaint bout the iPod touch is that the battery life is sub part. If you just listen to music with Wifi and Bluetooth off it's pretty good. If you stream music and use AirPods it's only "okay," but that "okay" will degrade over time to be bad.
 
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Homme

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2014
917
838
Sydney
Indeed it has. There are always enthusiasts. I have a handful of niche applications for a classic iPod (I actually use a 4th gen iPod Photo daily!), I love it. I'd buy a new one if they made a new one (probably). But I'm in a very small minority.

The iPhone is the product folks want. The iPod touch is such a small, niche market. For a while, the iPod touch was popular amongst a younger demographic for games and other apps; but that demographic has largely moved on to iPads. Plus, parents are giving kids full-fledged cellphones (iPhones) much earlier. Love it or hate it, it just "is", and that's the market.

The other thing is, the iPod touch was never really a product Apple wanted to sell. The early versions especially made lots of compromises over the classic iPod. The iPod touch was a gateway product to get you into an iPhone and/or an iPad. And frankly, with most carriers now offering monthly payments or subsidies for iPhones, it's usually easier for consumers to buy them over an iPod touch.

Heck, you're better off buying an old iPhone on eBay and just not connecting it to cellular data. The battery life on them is significantly better than an iPod touch when the cellular modems are off.

Apple is also making big investments into "the cloud", and is moving away from iTunes and even the iTunes store in favor of Apple Music. Apple wants you to stream your music, which is difficult to do on a Wi-Fi only device. (And yes, I know there are local download options; but that's still not how Apple sees the future; that's a stopgap feature.)

The world has moved on.

Indeed. Even A9 iPhones themselves are better than the 7th Gen iPod Touch

heck ( if you don’t count the processor) even Air 2 and Mini 4 have features 7th Gen iPod Touch don’t have and both iPads are (either 100% or almost) better than it
 
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Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,704
4,476
Here
Indeed. Even A9 iPhones themselves are better than the 7th Gen iPod Touch

heck ( if you don’t count the processor) even Air 2 and Mini 4 have features 7th Gen iPod Touch don’t have and both iPads are (either 100% or almost) better than it
The only consideration is I that I think, based upon rumors, that there is a good chance that the A9 is not supported by iOS 14. While the A10 in the iPod touch is roughly on par with the A9 since it is under clocked, I wouldn't buy any A9 device right now unless you're fine potentially being stuck on iOS 14.
 

Homme

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2014
917
838
Sydney
The only consideration is I that I think, based upon rumors, that there is a good chance that the A9 is not supported by iOS 14. While the A10 in the iPod touch is roughly on par with the A9 since it is under clocked, I wouldn't buy any A9 device right now unless you're fine potentially being stuck on iOS 14.

Ah but Apple TV HD is still in production with its A8 and surprise surprise you can preorder a new one ( no kidding) but with the new Siri remote. I think that will get tvOS 15 since they are still on sale so I think A8 Mini 4 and A8X/A9 devices have a chance of getting iOS/iPadOS 15

but yeah I wouldn’t want to get an A9 device now unless for app support
 
Last edited:

philrock

macrumors 6502
Jul 5, 2015
289
189
Ventura, CA
I'm still holding out for one more lol. I hear what everybody is saying but the form-factor is still far superior for a kid on the go using it for pictures, videos and facetime. Smaller and lighter means it is less likely to be dropped by smaller hands. At $180 the idea of losing one is a little more palatable as well. A refurbished iPhone 8 is still $305.
 

Falhófnir

macrumors 603
Aug 19, 2017
6,146
6,998
I'm still holding out for one more lol. I hear what everybody is saying but the form-factor is still far superior for a kid on the go using it for pictures, videos and facetime. Smaller and lighter means it is less likely to be dropped by smaller hands. At $180 the idea of losing one is a little more palatable as well. A refurbished iPhone 8 is still $305.
I like the very light and small form factor for music while running (though doing less of that now), I hope they keep them around, though there's little incentive to even replace my 6th gen yet despite it no longer being supported as I rarely use it as an iOS device.

Being the last A10 device standing now, I guess it's getting to the point again where they have to chip bump it again soon or discontinue. I wonder if it even makes sense to go to just the A12 given that'll be disappearing from the XR and the iPads soon too?
 

el-John-o

macrumors 68000
Nov 29, 2010
1,590
766
Missouri
I like the very light and small form factor for music while running (though doing less of that now), I hope they keep them around, though there's little incentive to even replace my 6th gen yet despite it no longer being supported as I rarely use it as an iOS device.

Being the last A10 device standing now, I guess it's getting to the point again where they have to chip bump it again soon or discontinue. I wonder if it even makes sense to go to just the A12 given that'll be disappearing from the XR and the iPads soon too?
Personally,

I suspect a point is coming when the newest version of iOS will not be able to run on the current iPod touch.

When that day arrives; one of two things will happen.

1. A minor spec bump to make the iPod touch compatible with the latest versions of iOS

2. Discontinue the iPod touch quietly.

I have no idea which will happen, I guess it depends on how well the sales are. Even a minor spec bump will cost a lot of engineering. We are definitely, if nothing else, way beyond the era of continually updating the iPod touch. If it lives on, it'll do so as a device updated every several years; and that's it.

Note that during WWDC, during the announcement of the latest version of iOS; presenters referenced "iPhone and iPad" repeatedly, and logos depicting "iPhone" and "iPad" were used throughout, and "iPod Touch" was never mentioned, even though iOS 15 will be compatible with the iPod touch.
 

98winds

macrumors member
Oct 28, 2016
66
30
Since the iPod Touch is invisible on Apple site, why not a new line of gadgets for 2022... the "iTouch".

One based on IOS, the other larger based on the iPad OS.

There's a place for a slim gadget or gadgets.
 

alpi123

macrumors 68020
Jun 18, 2014
2,023
3,376
Since the iPod Touch is invisible on Apple site, why not a new line of gadgets for 2022... the "iTouch".

One based on IOS, the other larger based on the iPad OS.

There's a place for a slim gadget or gadgets.
I think it's clear Apple dropped the "i" from all new product names lol

It's Apple Watch - not iWatch, AirTags - not iTags, Apple Pencil - not iPencil, etc...
 
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