iPod touch Apple drops the iPod from "Revenue by Category". It's all over now...

[DUCKofD3ATH]

Among other things announced in today's Apple Q4 earnings report, was that the iPod would no longer be listed by category in the Big Pie Chart.

Instead, according to Tim Cook:

Everything we report in Accessories category including Beats, Apple TV, peripherals and accessories, adding iPod and Apple Watch in this line item.

See that? The iPod is on the way out and the Apple Watch is on the way in. If Apple was planning on refreshing the iPod next year, there would be no reason to bump it into the catch-all accessories category.

It seems they expect sales to continue dwindling.

By this time next year, will the iPod be just a fond memory, gone the way of the Newton?

 

[iolinux333]

Or maybe they update the iPod with more RAM and A8, sell a bunch, and hide what a dud the aWatch is going to be.

 

[MacDarcy]

Among other things announced in today's Apple Q4 earnings report, was that the iPod would no longer be listed by category in the Big Pie Chart.

Instead, according to Tim Cook:



See that? The iPod is on the way out and the Apple Watch is on the way in. If Apple was planning on refreshing the iPod next year, there would be no reason to bump it into the catch-all accessories category.

It seems they expect sales to continue dwindling.

By this time next year, will the iPod be just a fond memory, gone the way of the Newton?

Not so fast. Many think that the iPod touch will be rebranded as an ipad nano. So it aint over.

 

[mangomind]

Among other things announced in today's Apple Q4 earnings report, was that the iPod would no longer be listed by category in the Big Pie Chart.

Instead, according to Tim Cook:



See that? The iPod is on the way out and the Apple Watch is on the way in. If Apple was planning on refreshing the iPod next year, there would be no reason to bump it into the catch-all accessories category.

It seems they expect sales to continue dwindling.

By this time next year, will the iPod be just a fond memory, gone the way of the Newton?

The iPod, iPad, iPhone, etc. are all accessories. Apple putting a product into the "accessories" category only means that not many are being sold. And why aren't many iPods being sold? Apple hasn't updated the hardware in 2 years, and the iPod touch comes with a 3.5 year old processor. If or when Apple updates the iPod line, the iPods will bump out of the accessories category. When Apple releases the Apple watch, it will bump out of the accessories category. When Apple finally updates the Apple TV with apps/TV options, it will bump out of the accessories category. etc.

The "accessories category" is simply a category to unclutter the earnings tabulation, including products that make up less than 1% percent earnings. Else Apple would need categories with decimal places, e.g. 0.6% earnings.

 

[SusanK]

Maybe they'll update it for Apple Pay. Apple gets paid every time you wave the phone over a terminal why not iPT?

 

[raccoonboy]

Not so fast. Many think that the iPod touch will be rebranded as an ipad nano. So it aint over.

Cheapest Ipad now is the 1st mini at 249. U really Apple would really make an Ipad nano at even cheaper price? Whats the point?

 

[Ffosse]

The iPod line is just about toast now - perhaps they'll keep the Shuffle/Nano in some new incarnation, but the iPod Touch?

What's the point?

 

[newellj]

At 1%, iPod is basically a rounding error in Apple's business. It's fair to ask which came first: the chicken or the egg? - in other words, if Apple pursued new iPod product development, would they sell better? I don't know. I have a hunch that iPods have become a niche product, something that appeals to a very limited audience at this point.

 

[Brian Y]

The iPod being phased out is a sign of the times. Who has a separate MP3 player these days?

Unless you have a ridiculously large music library and wish to carry most of it, most people just use their phones.

 

[newellj]

The iPod being phased out is a sign of the times. Who has a separate MP3 player these days?

Unless you have a ridiculously large music library and wish to carry most of it, most people just use their phones.

My music library is in fact ridiculously large, which is why I recently bought a Touch. I don't want it on my phone (storage and battery life), and it won't fit on my rMBP (256GB SSD) without causing serious space cramps, so the Touch is a good (not great) solution: doesn't take space or battery runtime on my critical devices. Still, an update that could run iOS8 and higher and 128GB of storage would have been even better.

 

[Ffosse]

Well, I own 1.3tb of music, but what would be the point of putting it all on a device if such existed?

Just stream from one of my phones nowadays.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Well, I own 1.3tb of music, but what would be the point of putting it all on a device if such existed?

Just stream from one of my phones nowadays.

How does that work on a plane?

 

[newellj]

Well, I own 1.3tb of music, but what would be the point of putting it all on a device if such existed?

Just stream from one of my phones nowadays.

Just music? I'm impressed. I'm at about 1.2tb, but that includes some videos and TV shows.

Not big on streaming (YMMV). I'd rather save the phone battery for voice and email.

 

[ctdonath]

Between iPhone and Watch, there isn't much demand for the iPod (whatever form). Sure, some people will have a real use for it, but total numbers just don't add up to the scale Apple operates on.

Unlike the Newton, the end of the iPod touch is a matter of its purpose transitioning into other devices - it served primarily as an affordable bridge from the early iPod into the massive new categories of smartphones & tablets. I picked up the first model for just $199 and it changed computing for me (now app developer), making a manageable & persuasive steppingstone toward >$800 devices involving a whole new UX from the OS up. The Newton was a hard lesson for Apple: a high-priced radically-different product won't survive without a palatable lead-in AND functionality keeping up with users' expectations.

(I have a Newton on my desk here. Been there, done that, saw the lessons learned.)

 

[erzeszut]

yeah....

....it's the very definition of a "niche product" now, more or less replaced except for a very few niche cases.

One of those cases is as a first iProduct for young kids. I just bought my daughter (8) a 16GB Touch. It's all she needs, and will hopefully last her a couple of years, to the point where we might get her an iPad or iPhone.

She would have been just as well served with an older iPhone, of course. But the previous generation iPhones hold their value so well -- it was actually better, $$$ wise, to sell my iPhone 5 to Gazelle and buy her a new iPod Touch. That way, of course we get a new device with a 1-year warranty as well. Win win.

 

[Lesser Evets]

Not so fast. Many think that the iPod touch will be rebranded as an ipad nano....

It should logically be so, but will it be?

Anything goes now. The iPods are now a dead line, aside from a possible refresh of the Touch in time.

 

[Ffosse]

How does that work on a plane?

By caching a few albums/playlists for offline.

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Just music? I'm impressed. I'm at about 1.2tb, but that includes some videos and TV shows.

Not big on streaming (YMMV). I'd rather save the phone battery for voice and email.

My phone is rated at 110 hours for audio, (Xperia Z3 Compact) a typical use of smartphone activities plus listening to music means I charge it every 48 hours or so. Plus I've got unlimited data for streaming.

 

[Solomani]

Maybe they'll update it for Apple Pay. Apple gets paid every time you wave the phone over a terminal why not iPT?

That could also make it the most affordable iOS device that also doubles as an "Apple Pay wallet", thus padding their Apple Pay revenue stream.

 

[Plutonius]

My phone is rated at 110 hours for audio, (Xperia Z3 Compact) a typical use of smartphone activities plus listening to music means I charge it every 48 hours or so. Plus I've got unlimited data for streaming.

Some of us aren't interested in an Android phone .

 

[iolinux333]

By caching a few albums/playlists for offline.

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My phone is rated at 110 hours for audio, (Xperia Z3 Compact) a typical use of smartphone activities plus listening to music means I charge it every 48 hours or so. Plus I've got unlimited data for streaming.

Hey! How do you like that thing!?! I'm thinking about getting one instead of an iPhone 6. Who is your carrier that gives you free streaming, T-Mobile? How's the camera? How's the screen compared to iPhone/iPod can you tell the difference?

Where did you find it?

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Some of us aren't interested in an Android phone .

I get where you're coming from but some of us just want the best darn phone there is. Last year it was the 5s. This year it may be the Z3c but there aren't enough out in the wild yet to know.

 

[cr2]

Cheapest Ipad now is the 1st mini at 249. U really Apple would really make an Ipad nano at even cheaper price? Whats the point?

A very valid argument. Many people missed this argument.

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My music library is in fact ridiculously large, which is why I recently bought a Touch. I don't want it on my phone (storage and battery life), and it won't fit on my rMBP (256GB SSD) without causing serious space cramps, so the Touch is a good (not great) solution: doesn't take space or battery runtime on my critical devices. Still, an update that could run iOS8 and higher and 128GB of storage would have been even better.

This might help you,

http://www.amazon.com/PNY-Elite-Per...=UTF8&qid=1413943592&sr=1-1&keywords=256gb+sd

Obviously there are many options. But a couple of such cards or something like this

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra...d_sim_e_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0K5F8QQD831EV4J7WX1Q

I use the later option as I did not think of first until recently or even a high capacity iPad (if you don't intend to run / bike with it).

 

[Ffosse]

Hey! How do you like that thing!?! I'm thinking about getting one instead of an iPhone 6. Who is your carrier that gives you free streaming, T-Mobile? How's the camera? How's the screen compared to iPhone/iPod can you tell the difference?
Image

Where did you find it?

----------



I get where you're coming from but some of us just want the best darn phone there is. Last year it was the 5s. This year it may be the Z3c but there aren't enough out in the wild yet to know.

I'm in the UK so was able to buy one instore, unlocked and sim-free like nearly all phones here. An impulse purchase, really, but I've been ill and decided to treat myself. It's definitely the best android I've ever owned. I, too, was looking at the iPhone 6, but already having an iPhone 5 it wasn't enough of a good upgrade. Plus I wanted a smaller phone but still a flagship.

I love its speed, waterproofing, compactness, (tiny bezels) epic battery life and features like double-tap to wake the screen, motion gestures etc. I haven't tried out the camera yet but I could care less if it even had one. The screen is very good compared with previous Sonys and at 319 ppi I can't really tell the difference between it and the iPhone 5.

To me, it's better than an iPhone 6 and considerably cheaper here. Am keeping the iPhone 5 for my iOS fix even though 8.1 has slowed it down considerably - it's a beater device for me now. Also gonna keep my Moto G.

 

[HereBeMonsters]

Do you not think they're just lumping a lot of stuff together so they will actually show up on the pie chart next to the huge revenues iPad, iPhone and Mac bring in?

 

[DUCKofD3ATH]

Do you not think they're just lumping a lot of stuff together so they will actually show up on the pie chart next to the huge revenues iPad, iPhone and Mac bring in?

Of course. But the trend is that the iPod touch is losing sales, so it has to be lumped in with other ne'er do wells (or in the case of the Apple Watch: an up-and-comer) that don't have decent sales numbers.

If Apple planned on releasing an updated iPt, it's quite likely the sales would be enough to bump iPods a percent or so on the Big Pie Chart, so they could stand on their own as before.

Thus, being bumped into the accessories category is an implicit admission by Apple that the iPod line is moribund.

 

[mangomind]

Of course. But the trend is that the iPod touch is losing sales, so it has to be lumped in with other ne'er do wells (or in the case of the Apple Watch: an up-and-comer) that don't have decent sales numbers.

If Apple planned on releasing an updated iPt, it's quite likely the sales would be enough to bump iPods a percent or so on the Big Pie Chart, so they could stand on their own as before.

Thus, being bumped into the accessories category is an implicit admission by Apple that the iPod line is moribund.

Invalid reasoning. You are forgetting that Apple 'lumped' Apple Watch and Apple TV into the accessories category as well. And Apple knows that those two products sure will have be bumped out of that accessories category soon.