[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Apple's MP3 player iPod is disappearing into history after 21 years since its launch. As the iconic product that led Apple's success is discontinued, evaluations saying "an era has ended" are emerging.
On the 10th (local time), Apple announced that it will discontinue the last model of the portable music player iPod series, the 'iPod Touch.' They decided to stop production after selling only the remaining stock. Apple emphasized, "The spirit of the iPod lives on in all devices that play music, such as the iPhone and iPad."
Apple first released the iPod on October 23, 2001. At that time, people listened to music on CD players, and the MP3 players available on the market had limited storage capacity, allowing only a few dozen songs to be stored. When Apple first launched the iPod, it explained, "It can hold up to 1,000 CD-quality songs in a pocket-sized design weighing 6.5 ounces (184g)."
Subsequently, in 2004, Apple released the smaller and lighter iPod Mini, and in September 2006, the iPod Nano (2nd generation), improving performance. However, with the first release of the iPhone in 2007, the iPod was pushed aside. Apple gradually discontinued iPod models starting in 2014, maintaining only the iPod Touch, which consumers sought for its affordable price. Even that last received a software upgrade in 2019.
The iPod is an iconic Apple product because it laid the foundation for the iPhone, iPad, and AirPods. Tech magazine The Verge stated, "The disappearance of the iPod Touch means the end of an era," adding, "While the iPod may disappear from stores, it will not vanish completely due to passionate fans' iPod modification projects and nostalgic web experiences."
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