The Future of the iPod

mrduffy17

Just an interesting side note to Apple event today, there was no mention of any new iPod touch 6th gen, which I assume means Apple have little or no intention of upgrading it and it will eventually be discontinued.

Its a continuation of the demise of the iPod after the classic was discontinued by Apple earlier this year. I know most people would view the iPod Touch as irrelvant in the smartphone dominated world we live in today (as opposed to '07 when it first came out) but for those who didnt want an expensive contract or for teenagers it was a great little device- essentially the iPhone without the phone. It offered all the benefits of Apple's iOS while still being (relatively) inexpensive.

So it begs the question, surely there still is some sort of market for a new iPod touch? (albeit a reduced one). I would love to see Apple release a new iPod touch with perhaps a bigger screen and 8mp camera but after today it seems that is a pipe dream.

Have people given up hope of seeing a new iPod touch? Has it been reduced to an irrelvant footnote in the apple ecosystem? Or is there even the faintest chance that Apple are simply holding off on releasing a new one till next year? (Due to the iWatch and whatnot taking priority)

Perhaps I'm the only one who even thinks about the iPod Touch anymore :P

DubDJ

I can't see Apple discontinuing the iPod completely this soon on. I'd imagine their focus has just shifted, with less R&D and resources being spent on the iPod lineup. I'd expect an update in 2015 for the iPod with nothing major but improved internals and maybe design tweaks.

For me the iPod was one of the main reasons for me being such a heavy Apple user today, it was the first step into the Apple ecosystem. After using the original iPod Touch I fell in love with iOS and been using it since, I'd say it could of been the same for a lot of people. Having the iPod Touch is still a cheap was of getting into the Apple ecosystem, I doubt Apple would discontinue it just yet.

Bob24

I also think Apple will keep it around for a bit longer and probably update it at least one more time before it lets it die. This will probably have to be next year as the specs for the current version are really poor even compared to an entry-level iPhone (equivalent to an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 I believe?) and I doubt Apple will want to keep supporting this older hardware in iOS for much longer anymore.

It is indeed a cheap(er) entry point to the world of iOS, probably good to get kids hooked-up and buy an iPhone in the future.

Having said that, I think it has to die in the medium term. For using it at home an entry level iPad mini is now similarly priced and offers a much more enjoyable experience (larger screen), and on the go it is becoming less and less relevant because so many iOS applications people are using nowdays require an internet connection (even the original core functionality of being a portable music player is crippled for some users as they would rather use music streaming services, which they can't).

The Black Oil

I was hoping for an updated Touch. I bought a Classic since 2008 and although it was replaced by Apple at one point, it runs smoothly. I can't justify the cost of an iPhone and I can't store about 40GB of audio on my Android phone (Nexus 4, 16GB). Still kinda prefer an independent player, just because. :P

eoin1539

I have an iPad touch 4th gen and I used to use it all the time, never really bothered putting music on my android phone. Then I bought an iPhone and I just use spotify on that and it's so much easier.

faceman

I'm fussy with Apple's ipod range. I have a 160gb classic. I like to have all my music on my device and the iPod touch range just doesn't cut it.

Personally I think there is a market for the iPod until we reach a point where Apple don't charge extortionate amounts for 64gb/128gb products.

Doodah7

I was very disappointed with the announcement last week that there was no mention of the iPod. I too think that there may be one last refresh of the line, possibly as part of a media-focused event with a new Apple TV. However I think that such an event would probably not be big enough to be stand-alone and would therefore be included with the next iPhone release in September 2015.

An iPod that has the capacity of the now sadly-defunct Classic would be fantastic.

Bob24

tallpaul wrote: »

An iPod that has the capacity of the now sadly-defunct Classic would be fantastic.

I *think* the only chance of seeing this would be if Apple was working on super high quality music playback (studio masters type of quality) and decided to release a specialised device with large storage and high quality circuitry to play the files.

Not impossible but pretty slim ...

Bob24

I was just reading this article about Apple's earnings announcement, and it made me think of this thread: http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/20/apple-earnings-fiscal-2014/

If you look at the graph which shows the revenue share for each product line, it should give you a pretty good idea about the future of the iPod. I didn't realise it had become that small for them.

DubDJ

Bob24 wrote: »

I was just reading this article about Apple's earnings announcement, and it made me think of this thread: http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/20/apple-earnings-fiscal-2014/

If you look at the graph which shows the revenue share for each product line, it should give you a pretty good idea about the future of the iPod. I didn't realise it had become that small for them.

They're also throwing iPod sales in with Apple watch and probably Apple TV and other stuff which shows they definitely haven't as big of a focus on the iPod anymore. Looks like it could be moving to the 'hobby' section of the Apple update cycle.

coylemj

I had a 2nd gen iTouch and upgraded to the 4th gen model when it was announced. Stuck on iOS6 these days means that more and more I see myself being left behind such as no app for the Ryder Cup (iOS7 only) and such like. Core apps like Twitter still work but most new apps are designed for iOS7 so my apps catalogue is locked in the past. No new iTouch in the recent announcements made me look at the iPad Mini and I see that the 16GB iPad Mini Retina Display model (now called iPad Mini2) was reduced from €399 to €309 after the recent announcements so I'm seriously considering it.

Doodah7

Yes they only sold 14.4 million iPods worldwide in 2014, their lowest level since 2004 when the iPod was in its infancy. It also made up only 1% of their revenue. These signs would suggest the iPod will soon be a thing of the past unfortunately as we know how ruthless Apple can be in cutting products.

displaced dub

As a parent I bought my kids iPad minis instead of iPods. Makes more sense from a use point of view.

Funnily I still use my old black 60gb iPod at home nearly everyday. It's sitting their in the dock. Kids look at it like its a dinosaur!!!

Alqua

I am really lamenting the demise of the ipod. All I want is a music player that does just that...plays music. I have a smartphone that does all of the things smartphones are supposed to do, but I don't want to put my music on it, nor is streaming going to take over for me. Wanted to stick with an ipod because I have had nothing but good experiences with the two I've owned. My trusty 3rd generation nano from 2007 even went for a swim in a cappuccino and came out with nothing more than some funky screen shapes (that have stayed to this day)!

Alas it's just too full at 8GB, would love a 32GB model but they only do 16, and am seriously considering it. It doesn't have to fit all of my music (though that would be the dream!) just a decent amount for driving etc. Recently I've got more higher quality albums and the file sizes are just massive, which is a worry.

Am I nuts to consider getting a 16GB nano? Putting money into a dead duck? I am absolutely stubborn in not wanting internet on it though. Anyone recommend a good other brand player with similar specs?

Bob24

You are not nuts if it fits you needs. However keep in mind that it might not be supported for as long as your 2007 version. Apple are selling them now so even if they get discountinued in a year or two they will have to keep supporting them for a few more years. But if I had to take a guess I would say that in 7 years their is a fairly high chance that iTunes won't exist in the same way as it does today and that Apple won't offer any way to load music onto your iPod anymore. Some third party apps probably will though.

Alqua

That is a very good point, thanks! I wonder would bluetooth be an asset in that case? I suppose I was waiting to see if there would be any update, but since the October event has passed it looks more likely they're heading towards being discontinued. At least I won't be about to buy a model that is soon to be updated!

I now have gmail telling me my version of safari is unsupported. I guess my 2008 laptop is too old for them too!
There are still some old fashioned people out there - the classic and some older touch models are selling for a fair bit on amazon.

Bob24

Alqua wrote: »

That is a very good point, thanks! I wonder would bluetooth be an asset in that case? I suppose I was waiting to see if there would be any update, but since the October event has passed it looks more likely they're heading towards being discontinued. At least I won't be about to buy a model that is soon to be updated!

I now have gmail telling me my version of safari is unsupported. I guess my 2008 laptop is too old for them too!
There are still some old fashioned people out there - the classic and some older touch models are selling for a fair bit on amazon.

I don't think bluetooth will make a difference. iPod are only designed to synchronise music with an iTunes library. If iTunes stops existing or supporting them, then bluetooth or USB makes no difference. But as I said if this was to happen the experience wouldn't be as smooth but you would likely be able to rely on third party software - and a guess and iPod is not that expensive and even if it is only supported for 4-5 years it's still not a waste of your money.

Doodah7

I can't see iTunes going anywhere in the short/medium term. It brought in over €4 billion for Apple in the last quarter alone!!! As long as they sell music through computers rather than solely by mobile devices, Apple will have to provide a way of putting that music onto a mobile device and that means iTunes.

Bob24

tallpaul wrote: »

I can't see iTunes going anywhere in the short/medium term. It brought in over €4 billion for Apple in the last quarter alone!!! As long as they sell music through computers rather than solely by mobile devices, Apple will have to provide a way of putting that music onto a mobile device and that means iTunes.

Sure I never said iTunes would go away completely in the short term ... rather than iTunes as we know it most likely won't exist any more in 7 years.

Synchronising an iPod to an iTunes library is just a subset of what yu described as putting music on a mobile device. Today if I buy a song on the iTunes store on any of my Apple devices, it will show-up automatically on all my other devices through the internet (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, soon Apple watch). Except for an iPod Nano or an iPod Shuffle who still require "old-fashioned" synchronisation where iTunes does all the work of building the library and pushes it to the device. If Apple was to stop selling these devices I think it would be tempting for them to stop supporting them in iTunes after 2-3 years.

Plus with their push to the cloud and the way the online music market is evolving (streaming include Apple's own purchase of Beats) ... I think the market for selling downloads which are stored on a computer and need to be copied to other devices *might* be compromised in the medium term. I don't know where it's going but the latest rumours are that Apple is pushing for record companies to sell streaming for $60 per year as this is what the average iTunes music download customer is spending today. Their arguments apparently are that pushing streaming would broaden the customer base (many people would think $5 per month for unlimited music is not much and subscribe) and secure more long term revenue (as people would be renting rather than buying) - which could well make sense for the labels. If they are really pushing toward this it would really change what iTunes is about.

The Black Oil

Tim Cook is reported to have said they couldn't get the parts of the Classic any more.

glued

Bob24 wrote: »

You are not nuts if it fits you needs. However keep in mind that it might not be supported for as long as your 2007 version. Apple are selling them now so even if they get discountinued in a year or two they will have to keep supporting them for a few more years. But if I had to take a guess I would say that in 7 years their is a fairly high chance that iTunes won't exist in the same way as it does today and that Apple won't offer any way to load music onto your iPod anymore. Some third party apps probably will though.

That's just not going to happen. Apple will certainly continue to offer the ability to transfer music onto their devices, even in the unlikely event that the iPod's become discontinued. The iPod has certainly taken a back seat but thats becuase there is very little they can do with it. They will probably continue to give it facelifts as long as people are willing to buy them.

Also the iPod is typically at a price point that doesn't warrant high level research and development. What's the point in redesigning a device that already operates perfectly; it wouldn't make any sense. I can see the iPod Touch being discontinued at some point in the next few years if sales continue to drop but the iPod Nano will probably steadily continue to sell long into the future with a facelift every two to three years.

endacl

https://ponomusic.force.com/

Bob24

glued wrote: »

That's just not going to happen. Apple will certainly continue to offer the ability to transfer music onto their devices, even in the unlikely event that the iPod's become discontinued. The iPod has certainly taken a back seat but thats becuase there is very little they can do with it. They will probably continue to give it facelifts as long as people are willing to buy them.

Also the iPod is typically at a price point that doesn't warrant high level research and development. What's the point in redesigning a device that already operates perfectly; it wouldn't make any sense. I can see the iPod Touch being discontinued at some point in the next few years if sales continue to drop but the iPod Nano will probably steadily continue to sell long into the future with a facelift every two to three years.

I can only offer to talk again in 7 years ;-) (which is a very long time in terms of consumer electronics and could bring a lot of change - or not - difficult for either you or me to predict)

But a first indication will be in a few months when Apple rebrands the Beats streaming service, probably to integrate it into iTunes and roll-it out internationally. Whether the Nano/Shuffle can play songs from the subscription service will be a good indication of how much Apple want to support them in the future (given the decline of iTunes music sales and how streaming subscription services are growing, they must be seeing this new way of renting music as something critical to support going forward).