Is the iPod Classic Done? 10 Years of iPod

[MacRumors]

Guardian posts a retrospective piece about the original iPod and points out that the Classic iPod design has not been updated since late 2009. The iPod Classic, as the famous scroll-wheel design is now known, hasn't been updated now since September 2009, with a modest capacity jump from 120GB to 160GB. On the Apple Online Store, shipping times have slipped from 24 hours to 1-3 days. Across the US, several major retailers have reported short supplies, leading to speculation the device may soon be discontinued. It didn't even warrant a mention at Apple's annual Developers Conference in 2010. "The iPod's essentially finished, give or take," says Dr Alice Enders, a former senior economist at the World Trade Organisation who now reports on global music markets for media consultancy Enders Analysis. The iPod was originally launched in 2001 and laid the groundwork for Apple's resurgence this past decade. The article gives a nice lookback at the iPod.

Reception to the original iPod launch was mixed. Our own forum responses are interesting to look back on, 10 years later.

Article Link: Is the iPod Classic Done? 10 Years of iPod

 

[7on]

The future is coming and I welcome it.

 

[184550]

I wonder if Apple will give it one final update before discontinuing it?

I'm not holding my breath though.

 

[jowie]

lol... Comments are priceless:

I still can't believe this! All this hype for something so ridiculous! Who cares about an MP3 player? I want something new! I want them to think differently!

 

[guzhogi]

<< Plays "Taps" >>

 

[paulold]

Now I don't know what to do. I need an iPod that can hold all of my media (just my music alone is over 100 GB) so I can bring it with me wherever I go. (I hate having to choose a portion of my music instead of just grabbing it all.) But the MacRumors Buyer's Guide says not to buy - update soon. So is Apple going to kill it or release a new version? If I wait, I might miss out on getting one. But if I get one now, I might miss out on a better model. Ugh.

 

[CAD4MAC]

Love for the iPod classic

I had my 3rd gen iPod for years until it got stolen but it gave me over 3 years of love before all these 'posh' colour ones came out.

It was and still is the best mp3 player and they joy it brought me! If the iPod classic does go it'll be a sad day but that's evolution for you, the new ones are just as exciting!

That blog just goes to show that Job's was right and still is, with every new Apple product negative responses galore appear and yet we all end up buying one in the end!

http://bit.ly/CAD4MAC

 

[Lancetx]

That thread is full of some of the most comical and short sighted statements you'll ever see. Good thing Steve Jobs obviously knew what he was doing a lot more than the forum posters of the time did. That's why I laugh at some of the more critical comments you see on some of the threads today as well. In 10 years they'll look just as comical and short sighted as those do I'm sure.

 

[CptnJustc]

Reception to the original iPod launch was mixed. Our own forum responses are interesting to look back on, 10 years later.

Well, sure, but that was ten years ago. We're much more sophisticated now.

 

[iStudentUK]

I do think it is time to put the classic to rest. It was great in its day, but looks out of date now.

 

[scott911]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

I loved reading the old comments- I.e : I can't believe apple's showing some stupid toy on stage..

It would be neat to see if these oracles are that same people who said iPad was bound to fail as well!

 

[Lotso]

Old comment:

No ****** Way
All that hype for an MP3 player? Break-thru digital device? The Reality Distiortion Field™ is starting to warp Steve's mind if he thinks for one second that this thing is gonna take off.

Rofl. Yeah right, reality distortion field...

 

[Crzyrio]

lol
Love the views people had about it back then! To thick that iPod was the cornerstone of something so great

 

[X5-452]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3GS: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)

Reception to the original iPod launch was mixed. Our own forum responses are interesting to look back on, 10 years later.

At least we're all pretty consistent with our critiques of Apple product launches, hahaha.

 

[ComputersaysNo]

A 24-bit ipod for lossless files in the near future and Apple will turn the spacetimecontinuum once again.

 

[slicecom]

I just bought a used 160GB iPod Classic last week. Having my entire music library in my car at all times: Priceless.

 

[doberman211]

I like the classic. I bought the 160GB one but i break things easily so... i dont want to have to resort to ebay to get a descent ipod in the future. I am not a fan of youch screens covering the whole device. i could have fallen back on the nano but NOT ANYMORE! thanks jobs. *******.

 

[Yebot]

I'd like to seen an 128 GB iPod Touch before they sunset the Classic.

 

[blue22]

Now I don't know what to do. I need an iPod that can hold all of my media (just my music alone is over 100 GB) so I can bring it with me wherever I go. (I hate having to choose a portion of my music instead of just grabbing it all.) But the MacRumors Buyer's Guide says not to buy - update soon. So is Apple going to kill it or release a new version? If I wait, I might miss out on getting one. But if I get one now, I might miss out on a better model. Ugh.

Best to assume the iPod classic as we know it won't be updated, given the fact that's it's been nearly 2 years since it's last revision.

So brace yourself for the inevitable and either consider buying what they currently have available to meet your portable digital storage needs, or be ready to shell out some cash for the high end iPod touch.

 

[skip2]

LOL. The old thread is absolutely hilarious. Nothing, NOTHING has changed in 10 years. The stuff discussed on these forums today is exactly the same. Kinda makes you think if it's even worth reading as it's all the same anyway.

I personally like the "big" capacity of the classic but am not a fan of the UI. Although, I don't think the UI of the iPod Touch/iPhone is the best for a music only device either. Anyway, I'm glad I have the 160GB classic as it fits all my music right now and at least for a few years probably. I would like to see Apple revamp it completely and make it better and easier to use/more intuitive in every way and hooking it up with that 220GB HDD release a while ago instead of just killing it off and introducing a 128GB iPod Touch. I don't think this will happen though.

 

[touchtone561]

Who makes the Drive & parts?

Japan perhaps.

Maybe it is a reflection of a parts shortage to be?

I still love my Classic.

 

[notjustjay]

I think the iPod Classic still has its place in the line-up, at least until flash storage catches up with hard-drive based storage. Once we see a 128-gig iPod Touch, that gap will be eliminated (and this may well be the only reason why Apple still sells the Classic).

I do think it's incredible to see how much the technology has evolved since 2001. That unassuming little mp3 player has become one of the world's best-selling smartphones and the current world leading tablet computer, as well as helping to create a revolution in the way music and media is sold and distributed.

 

[rdowns]

It would be nice for Apple to announce it's end of life after offering a 10th anniversary model. They'd sell tens of millions.

 

[BlueRevolution]

Rofl. Yeah right, reality distortion field...

Still there. They just cranked it up so that it covers all of us.

 

[RawBert]

Those are some funny ass comments. But like skip2 said, nothing has changed. Haters always bash every new Apple product.

iPod FTW!