Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
'iPod Father' Tony Fadell Comments on Discontinuation of iPod Classic
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The old limit was 25,000 songs in your library excluding purchases, not 25,000 songs uploaded (non-matched). Maybe they changed it. On Apple's page, it says:
"iTunes Match is limited to 25,000 songs."
but it doesn't say if that's non-matched or matched.
It's sad to see the iPod die in a spiritual sense, but they haven't been worth buying since they switched off the Wolfson DAC chips (I got my Classic as a gift, I wouldn't have spent $250 or whatever on it). The spirit will live on, refurb 4th gens with 128gb SSDs are booming on eBay. And they're better products than the late iPod Classic.
There's nothing stopping you from copying your entire library to your iPhone via cable or wifi, and using streaming for discovering new music.
I use Spotify's offline features to cache a similar amount of music. I also have a few curated playlists that update automatically when I'm on wifi (such as top charts and fresh tracks). This gives me instant access to high quality music that I enjoy wherever I am.
That is the edge the iPhone has over the Classic.
Last edited:
Huh?
There's this thing called an iPod touch that currently weighs just over half as much as an iPod Classic, is available with up to 64GB of flash storage, and has bluetooth and wifi. It will also do anything a somewhat older iPhone will do other than place cellular phone calls, vibrate, and use GPS signals, including take decent photos and video, play games, video, browse the web, and make audio or video FaceTime calls. It costs less than half what an iPhone does, and requires no contract or cellular signal, and if all you ever want to run on it is the music app, you can do that.
In fact, until the iPhone 6, I think it was the coolest device Apple sold, all-around. That the 6 looks much more like it than the 5s is I think indication that Jony Ive thinks so, too.
Now, if you have a 120GB+ library, like a few people, and must have the entire thing with you at all times, then sure, you can pine for a 160GB iPod classic, or if you have a 220GB+ library you can wish that a 250GB model existed. Apple, however, knows exactly how many 160GB iPod Classics they've been selling since 2009, so I have a feeling they knew what they were doing when they cancelled the thing.
Regardless, you can complain that Apple should produce a massive-storage music device that they don't, but if you only need 20-60GB of music storage it's not like Apple hasn't kept up the iPod line with modern features like bluetooth and flash storage. It just doesn't have a clickwheel anymore.
The iPod may be physically gone, but it lives on in spirit in its successors, the iPhone, the iPad, and soon, the Apple Watch.
Before the iPod, I had to carry around a CD wallet, and a CD player that was an incredible pain to shuttle around because of the limited amount of music I could have on hand and having to constantly change out the discs if I wanted to listen to something different.
Then I got one of those Sandisk Cruzer flash music player that was pretty cool in that I could play MP3s stored on my flash drive. Then, I moved onto a larger capacity nomad sport made by Creative, huge improvement over what I had previously. Then the iPod came along, and with it, I could store thousands of songs on my devices. But all that time, I had to carry 4 items with me when I went out, iPod, wallet, cell phone, and keys. If I was plugged in, I had no idea when my cell phone would ring. Needless to say, it was quite clumsy. Then iPhone came around and finally allowed me to consolidate the MP3 player with the phone and get a lot of new features as well, such as surfing the internet. Now with iPhone 6, I can somewhat consolidate the phone with the wallet, and only have two items on me. Next, all I need is an app controlled door and car keys, and I can ditch the keys too!
So in my mind, the iPod isn't dead at all, I simply call it my iPhone
Before the iPod, I had to carry around a CD wallet, and a CD player that was an incredible pain to shuttle around because of the limited amount of music I could have on hand and having to constantly change out the discs if I wanted to listen to something different.
Then I got one of those Sandisk Cruzer flash music player that was pretty cool in that I could play MP3s stored on my flash drive. Then, I moved onto a larger capacity nomad sport made by Creative, huge improvement over what I had previously. Then the iPod came along, and with it, I could store thousands of songs on my devices. But all that time, I had to carry 4 items with me when I went out, iPod, wallet, cell phone, and keys. If I was plugged in, I had no idea when my cell phone would ring. Needless to say, it was quite clumsy. Then iPhone came around and finally allowed me to consolidate the MP3 player with the phone and get a lot of new features as well, such as surfing the internet. Now with iPhone 6, I can somewhat consolidate the phone with the wallet, and only have two items on me. Next, all I need is an app controlled door and car keys, and I can ditch the keys too!
So in my mind, the iPod isn't dead at all, I simply call it my iPhone
Wholeheartedly agree.
I bought a silver and a black one about two months ago.
The iPod Classic, for me, is part of being a music lover.
I can only just fit my entire music library between the two of them (298GB and counting).
Will be sad when I walk into a store and they are all gone forever.
Last edited:
Have the original iPod 'classic' with the 160GB drive, the version that plays videos. Very cool at the time I got it!
passing of the iPod...
I have a 60gb running great. Used it for music backup for a long time. Purchased the 120gb the last time talk of the demise would occur. After reading of the removal of the iPod from the online store i went to Bhphoto.com and found plenty there. Purchased one more for the road. Great for music storage, great for traveling. A very good product which lasted longer than many thought would have.
I have a 60gb running great. Used it for music backup for a long time. Purchased the 120gb the last time talk of the demise would occur. After reading of the removal of the iPod from the online store i went to Bhphoto.com and found plenty there. Purchased one more for the road. Great for music storage, great for traveling. A very good product which lasted longer than many thought would have.
I should get one for later when the internet and power are all gone
They're all gone from Target and Walmart.
You are now stuck with the Ebay Resellers who saw this coming.
The Ebay rate now is $350 vs. $250 just 1 month ago from Apple, Target, Walmart, etc
Not quite. iPod's still have their place in our everyday lives.
The Shuffle has gone as far as it can. It does what it is intended for. They could perhaps add bluetooth for wireless headphones.
There is still a market for it. Not much change is really needed for the device. I don't think there are any rivals out there for the Shuffle?
The Nano seems to have an identity crisis. But it too fits a niche market, unrivaled by any other that I know of or have heard of.
The 6th gen was the replacement for my Shuffle, a device which I had been hoping for since using the shuffle. To me it was the Shuffle with a touch screen. It was the perfect portable device for the gym. Apple should have kept the 6th gen Nano as a separate device. Perhaps they could have called it the iPod Fit or iPod Nano Touch. Hopefully Apple will bring this back one day.
It never made sense to me that they would have an iPod Classic and more advanced tech with the iPod Touch. I guess the storage space on the Classic was its main feature. I guess if the next iPod Touch has 128GB and 256GB of storage then that justifies killing off the Classic.
Rumor has it that new iPod Touch will come out next month.
As for the Nano, I think it's gotten to the point where if Apple change the form factor again it will be a case of "here we go again. the nano still has an identity issue". If it reverts back to 6th gen form factor with better software options then I think it will generate renewed interest and excitement.
But we just have to wait and see what Apple does.
This one isn't made to be obsolete. Still have my iPod Video 30gb from 2006. It's just a great way to listen to music, insanely great.
And there's no reason why you shouldn't, but the reality is that most people don't want to carry multiple devices; sales of dedicated portable media players have dramatically dropped over the last few years, as have the sales of point-and-shoot cameras, handheld consoles, GPS systems, and so on. It's hard to blame Apple for dropping a product that doesn't sell.
Well... you need to stream 20 GB of your music library if you where to hear it all at once. Otherwise, you just use exactly what you need to hear an specified song. And that is not very expensive.
For me, I would never buy the highest storage capacity iPhone. I replace it every year and it would simply cost too much for me.
The iPod Nano was limited to 16GB, hardly enough for my 60GB music collection, 33GB music video collection, and 6TB of movies. Now i'm not asking for an iPod with a TB of storage, but the iPod nano should've shipped with 64/128GB sizes. Enough to store a good selection of music and some videos.
The iPod classic died due to its internal HDD instead of flash. Who wants a 30pin device now anyways when everything is LUSB.
The iPod Nano was limited to 16GB, hardly enough for my 60GB music collection, 33GB music video collection, and 6TB of movies. Now i'm not asking for an iPod with a TB of storage, but the iPod nano should've shipped with 64/128GB sizes. Enough to store a good selection of music and some videos.
The iPod classic died due to its internal HDD instead of flash. Who wants a 30pin device now anyways when everything is LUSB.
And what exactly would flash memory bring to the iPod classic? Did you run into lag while searching threw your music?
Don't get me wrong, I love my 30gb Classic. The battery was great. It looks like its been run over and blasted with a shotgun but still works fine. The screen is scratched to hell but never cracked. Its a tank! But I've always wanted to upgrade it to the 160gb.
Once the prices go down on eBay I will totally pick one up. They were/are great for physical activities. The price is what killed it, it was way too high for what it was offering although Id rather mess up a $250 music player then an $850 phone.
Last edited:
I bought an 80Gb iPod Classic many years ago, still works but it's mostly be replaced by my iPhone, and I think that is what killed iPod sales and the classic. Why spend extra on a separate player when for most people their iPhone or iPad will do just fine and hold more than enough music for their daily use.
That said I do wish they had updated the classic, or maybe now add a 256Gb iPod touch i the next update, for those who need that kind of capacity. Just imagine that with the new camera on the iPhone it would be fantastic to capture video and photos in a compact device.
That said I do wish they had updated the classic, or maybe now add a 256Gb iPod touch i the next update, for those who need that kind of capacity. Just imagine that with the new camera on the iPhone it would be fantastic to capture video and photos in a compact device.
What I believe killed the iPod Classic is the iPod Touch. Apple's business model has been to expand sales beyond hardware, into software and music. Think about it, for the iPod Classic, you must use a desktop to maintain your library. As sales of desktops decline, our smartphones and iOS devices have become our method of purchasing new music in addition to apps. Now you might mention the Nano and Shuffle, but these are more so gateway products for consumers new to Apple, especially kids and teens. The iPod Classic itself couldn't compete with the iPod Touch, it's features and abilities without losing it's essence. It's also worthwhile to consider that the iPod Classic was primarily a device for individuals with HUGE libraries of music and videos, which can now be stored on flash based devices in large sizes on iPod Touches and iPhones because of improvements in technology.
People in this thread are acting like that Apple are denying the iPod ever existed.
It's just a matter of sales - everyone who wanted an iPod, has one already at this point. The younger generations see no value in a device that only plays music - and with good reason, you have other products (in the same range) that can do that, but also so much more.
I've owned 2 iPod Mini's, and an iPod Classic in the past and I recently bought an iPod Shuffle to use at the gym, but I don't see the point of the Classic still being sold in the form it was in.
It's sad that it's the end of an era, and I can only wish and keep hoping we'll get a decent Music app on the iPhone and iPad that is worthy of the iPod name (I know the Music app hasn't been called 'iPod' for many years - it would be cool if it was brought back). It's hard to believe the horribly designed music app we have now was designed by the same company that built the iPod.
It's just a matter of sales - everyone who wanted an iPod, has one already at this point. The younger generations see no value in a device that only plays music - and with good reason, you have other products (in the same range) that can do that, but also so much more.
I've owned 2 iPod Mini's, and an iPod Classic in the past and I recently bought an iPod Shuffle to use at the gym, but I don't see the point of the Classic still being sold in the form it was in.
It's sad that it's the end of an era, and I can only wish and keep hoping we'll get a decent Music app on the iPhone and iPad that is worthy of the iPod name (I know the Music app hasn't been called 'iPod' for many years - it would be cool if it was brought back). It's hard to believe the horribly designed music app we have now was designed by the same company that built the iPod.
You should have left the autocorrect change as it was, it makes it even truer!
----------
Yep, I just tried that with my iPhone and my iPad but they both just fell straight to the floor.