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Apple Discontinues iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle (macrumors.com)
From a report: Apple today removed the iPod nano and iPod shuffle from its website and online store around the world, suggesting the iconic portable media players may be discontinued. Apple continues to sell the iPod touch. Beyond new colors and storage capacities, Apple had last updated the iPod nano in October 2012 and the iPod shuffle in September 2010. Apple last updated the iPod touch in July 2015 with an 8-megapixel rear camera. Apple introduced the iPod shuffle in January 2005, followed by the iPod nano in September 2005. In total, there were seven generations of the iPod nano, and four generations of the iPod shuffle. The company has confirmed that it has discontinued the devices.
I googled for this and apparently "ipods" were things Apple provided for people to keep their music on until Steve Jobs had finished inventing the telephone.
More people would buy them if they removed the headphone jack. Maybe apple should try that.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
That's probably the current way to listen to music with Bluetooth headphones and get lots of other functionality. If that's too expensive, there are also Android Wear/Samsung devices with similar functions. Technology moves on and MP3 players without WiFi are pretty clunky in 2017.
I have an old Nano and I still use it and I just love it. It's light, I can operate it without looking at it, have a great fabric case that clips to my shorts when I work out. If it would hold a charge and would always shut down when I tell it to it would be perfect. But Apple is still going to have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
Both of our kids had Shuffles. My son left his in his pocket and it went in the washing machine. Still worked after it came out of the dryer.
Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
I use a shuffle and a nano at the gym. Unfortunately, I just ran the nano through the wash. I guess I should order a replacement before their gone.
I have the last three phones I used as daily drivers. One is the living room remote, another is the bedroom remote and yet another is a media player. There are simply too many devices that can do what these devices were purpose built to do. And they have more functionality.
"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
People still bought these?
Not an iPod specifically, but I recently bought a new mp3 player for the gym since I don't want to take my phone into the gym with me. Sure... there's still desire for mp3 players and a market (if a smaller market). My kids all have mp3 players too- the eldest is only 13 so some way off needing a phone still.
/ side rant- nothing worse than the chick who sits on the equipment you want to use playing with her phone for 30 minutes and not exercising... I swear 20% of the people at the gym don't actually do any exercise.
"That's the way to do it" - Punch
Modern app appers ONLY app apps, and these LUDDITE iPods can't run apps!
Apps!
That's exactly the point, I last had an mp3 player a decade ago before I had a phone that could play music. Why carry a second device to do the same thing?
Yes but not as many as when iPod was popular. If you need a small media player, these were ideal.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
With battery and storage technology improving these devices got small enough to put on a wrist band. Also, cell phones are not the luxury items they used to be and some are more capable than many low end laptops.
The Apple Watch was considered a flop by many, I think Apple learned from that. Anyone remember the Apple Newton? That's just and early prototype of the current iDevices. They'll take their lessons from the Watch and iPod and come out with something new. I'm quite sure of that.
With electronics getting so light and people wanting these augmented reality things then maybe Apple will come out with a computer that has a screen you wear on your head and call it "iGlass". "iPatch"? I'm sure people will call them "iSores" though.
I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
I'm hopeful, since this would have been the perfect time to discontinue the Mac Mini if they had no intention of updating it.
Sort of. Those music players have a headphone port.
A pity about the shuffle. The last non-freakin'-touch-interface music player made by Apple.
Also, they were not compatible with Apple Music so that's probably the other reason.
#DeleteFacebook
I have an iPod Nano (fifth generation). I use it almost entirely as a podcast device, and the built in FM tuner is nice when I'm walking somewhere and I want to listen to the radio (I listen to a lot of public radio). The thing holds decent charge and has a decent enough amount of space, allowing me to keep the space open in my phone and not use up charge on the same. It may a little cumbersome sometimes, but not very. I like it, and will continue to like it until it eventually dies an ignominious death.
Then I'll probably replace it with something non-apple. iPods are nice, but expensive. This one was a gift.
You should turn signatures off.
Touch interface SUCKS for a music player. Also you can't clip a freakin' smartphone to your shirt. And an iPhone costs about ten to twenty times the price of the shuffle.
I'll be heading to a local store to see if they'll sell the last units at discount prices.
#DeleteFacebook
No, probably money.
I am surprised they were still there. The iPhone was the iPod killer. Which expanded the use of WiFi, and Cell Wireless needs. So streaming music became the norm. Thus the iPod model with the App store isn't as profitable, combined that most people have some form of smartphone now, so having a separate music device is redundant.
So why keep the factory open and ready to make a device that people are no longer buying in enough quantity to justify it?
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
A parent is likely to consider a child old enough to have a portable media player but not old enough to have a cell phone number and bill.
Get the kid a Rasbery Pi and have him make his own Music Player.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
There are still a number of Mp3 players. or you could get a Raspberry Pi and have them make their own.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
It's a third world problem too, when Apple only wants to sell luxury items. There are other manufacturers, but competition is good for the market.
For me a screen is a pretty important thing in a music player but I guess some people don't care.
Anyway, my reasons to still use an "MP3" player in 2017 are that: My smartphone doesn't have an FM radio, using the player I avoid draining the phone's battery, I dare carrying the player in situations/places that I consider too dangerous for the much more expensive phone.
The iPod touch looks and acts like an iPhone, including standard and 3rd party apps, but without the cellular connection, phone or GPS. As much as I love the Pi, it is not a replacement for an iPod touch.
The iPod touch can also be important to iOS developers. A far less expensive device to test on. Also a convenient secondary or tertiary device to leave running past versions of iOS for testing.
Mine last saw heavy use when I was finishing my basement. Nice to have something with physical buttons so I could skip songs randomly without taking attention off of what I was doing. Screens are nice but you have to look at them to accomplish anything, which is only ideal most of the time...
That's exactly the point, I last had an mp3 player a decade ago before I had a phone that could play music. Why carry a second device to do the same thing?
Have you ever tried jogging with a Samsung Note in your pocket? Or even a regular sized smart phone as opposed to something the size of an iPod nano or shuffle? There are reasons to have a small, dedicated MP3 player, even if they don't apply to everyone. It just doesn't have to cost so much and has no new features to try to sell, which is why I suspect they would prefer to discontinue it. Fortunately, they aren't the only provider for that kind of device.
I was doing that, but I have 2 phones, & don't always carry the iPhone on me. However, the car navigation system has an iPod player which does a less than adequate job while working w/ my Lumia. So I bought this 7th gen iPod Nano recently, and loaded it up w/ some music videos, and stick it into the console USB port, which is connected to the iPod player.
Since the Apple store doesn't have most of the videos that I want, and of the ones that do, the volume seems really low, I am planning to wipe that and replace it w/ audio files that I've collected, assuming that iTunes lets me do it.
The kids are not the ones who want limited functionality. Some of their parents are!
I keep a dedicated music player in my car, because I can't fit enough on my phone.
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Pity. I was just thinking about how the iPod Nano could be the entry-level Apple Pay wallet you give your kids. Or made into a small phone for people who like small phones.
These niches were:
1.) I want to do sports without having my phone on me, be as light as possible.
2.) I want an iTunes capable device I can use while driving my car without looking at a screen, only by tactile and muscle memory feedback... (my particular use case)
For these two niches, there was nothing like an iPod Shuffle. There are some chinese knock-offs that offer a similar formfactor, but not similar quality.
Will be sorely missed.
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Because I want a small player to take to the gym or running that 1) does not cost me $500+ to replace if I lose it/damage it, 2) does not have a phone/text messaging (yes I know that makes me weird; I go to the gym to work out, not yap on the phone or text like most), and 3) is not a mini boat anchor in my pocket.
And yes, I know there are non-Apple players. Do you honestly think Apple will expend ANY effort to maintain compatibility with these devices?
Because apple phones don't have a headphone jack.
Because they do the same thing better.
My own reason - and likely others will have others - is that my first-gen iPod Nano has physical buttons. I don't have to pull it out of my pocket, turn on the screen, unlock it, and have to look at it to see where to push.
When my first iPod Nano died I found out Apple had done a recall on them years ago due to a potential battery issue and were still offering replacements. I got a seventh generation as a replacement - touch interface, only two physical buttons - sold it, and bought a second-hand first gen with the money.
So there you go. Just because you can't imagine a reason doesn't mean there isn't one for some people.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
"You don't have to do this." --various dead, to Anton Chigurh
I had a shuffle for many years until I replaced it. It was fantastic, mostly because it was so small and light. I'd just clip it to the back of my shirt collar when going for a run or out to do some gardening, and it was pretty much imperceptible.
By contrast, smartphones tend to be upwards of 100g, or almost a quarter pound. That's enough weight that if you want to secure it to your person, you need to look at a special holder to do so. Pain in the butt.
It may look like I'm doing nothing, but I'm actively waiting for my problems to go away.
--Scott Adams
One big problem with phones (and tablets) is that at least none of the ones I have found so far, have a hard disk. SD Cards are just now getting to where they're nearly big enough (for not too much money) so phones will probably become viable pretty soon. (But I realize this kind of depends on the size of your collection; we all have our own spots and maybe 200 GB is plenty enough for some people, whereas others won't be happy until they can carry 4 TB.)
BTW, if anyone knows of a phone or tablet sized Android device which actually has (roughly) terabyte-magnitude storage, or better yet, can take an internal 2.5" SATA drive, please share. I realize there are external drive options available, which should be ok in the car, but that's always going to be a little awkward and hackish. (And if you've got a battery-operated computer anyway, then it's silly to not have your hard disk on the same UPS. Whoops, I turned off the car before I shut down, we'll need to fsck before music's available again...)
But it's just a matter of time. 256 GB SD cards are pretty widely available and cheap, so in just a couple more years, what I want should be around. Hmm.. anyone know of a current-day tablet that will take 2-4 SD cards? ;-)
"Believe me!" -- Donald Trump
Have you ever tried jogging with a Samsung Note in your pocket?
No, but I run four miles a day with an iPhone 6 Plus. I don't notice it, though I can't stand to carry a jangling key-ring with five keys on it. To each their own.
I bought an iPod nano because it has a radio. For that purpose, it's an overpriced piece of crap, but I use it anyway. The most glaring problem is the lack of a way to lock the controls, so the volume and radio station may fluctuate unpredictably.
My wife jogs every day with her Samsung S5 Neo, her iPod hasn't been plugged in in years.
Personally the only time I run is if something is chasing me...
Maybe you should have chosen a phone that suited your needs? it would probably have been cheaper than a separate device.
I'm not sure what the difference is between leaving your phone in the car/at home vs having it on you and not replying to messages. For that matter, most phones have a silent or do-not-disturb mode that works very well.
As for replacement cost. Maybe you need to be less hard on your things?
As for apple compatibility with other devices... why would they? and why would you care? it's a music player. put music on it and forget it. Unless it is INCREDIBLY poorly designed, there's nothing Apple needs to do to make it compatible with their computers. it should just be a storage device that you drag and drop music on to.
Then maybe you shouldn't buy apple phones?
If the device you're buying doesn't suit your needs. Consider buying a version that does.
My phone has physical buttons too. volume up, volume down, power, and home. Those buttons control music as much as I need to. they adjust the volume, skip forward or backwards, and pause.
So hand the kid your old iPhone, then if you want to activate phone service on it you can.
Yes they do.
Not only do they have headphones in the box that plug into the phone, they also have an adapter in the box to plug in your old-style headphones.
And of course they also have Bluetooth, which works beautifully without plugging anything in at all.
Sure it's a pain to load music - the old school way from your iTunes music collection. But the combination of the Nano and in-ear bluetooth headphones is by far the least intrusive way of listening to music or podcasts when running. I find it odd those who strap on to their arm devices the size of a paperback to go for a run. The audio quality of the Nano is great, the battery life too and it can fit in anywhere. In the winter I just tuck the Nano into my glove negating the need for any sort of arm band. I've gone through pretty much the entire iPod Nano series and multiple bluetooth headphones. For running, the current Nano paired with an excellent set of headphones such as the Jaybirds, the experience cannot not be beat. I knew their evolution would come to an end as it is obvious that Apple has lost interest in this space. Still; its a shame Apple chose not to continue it's evolution. A wireless way of syncing music would have been great.
How do you manage it? My jogging shorts only have side pockets and they're either so deep that my gait causes the phone to start swinging wildly because of its weight (which annoys me to no end, and it's only an S5) or they're so shallow that I worry about the phone falling out when I step up from crosswalk to curb.
As much as you need to. You are not me, nor are you anyone else.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
That's exactly the point, I last had an mp3 player a decade ago before I had a phone that could play music. Why carry a second device to do the same thing?
Have you ever tried jogging with a Samsung Note in your pocket? Or even a regular sized smart phone as opposed to something the size of an iPod nano or shuffle? There are reasons to have a small, dedicated MP3 player, even if they don't apply to everyone. It just doesn't have to cost so much and has no new features to try to sell, which is why I suspect they would prefer to discontinue it. Fortunately, they aren't the only provider for that kind of device.
They are discontinuing it because hardly anyone buys them anymore. If people bought them, Apple would continue to build them, and even improve them.
Why is it ALWAYS some sort of "ulterior motive"?
Woz was a one hit wonder. Jobs went on to build an empire and spearheaded the creation of devices which irrevocably changed our world. All while staying true to his nature.
At least TWO hits.
And oh, what hits they were, too...
BTW, your jealousy is showing.
For places like the gym or any place where your expensive phone could possibly be stolen or, could fall from your pocket and break. The advantages of these small light devices cant be understated as well Oh well I still have my Gen 1 iPod mini its easy to open and easy to service ill keep it going.
Screens are something for a mammoth music collection. The iPod shuffle originally came with 512MB of RAM, barely enough to fit 2-3 albums. You didn't need a screen to select a song.
It also had a pretty niche purpose. I owned one despite generally hating Apple devices (mainly to do with iTunes) and already having an MP3 player. It was DAAAAAMN light, and it was just a little clip. I don't think there was a more perfect device for jogging. I'm still not sure there is.
Not exactly, but teleVision and telePhone both have the 'tele' prefix due to the method of transmission called Telecommunication.
"Telecommunication is the transmission of signs, signals, messages, words, writings, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems."
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I don't carry my phone when I run. My iPod Shuffle, clipped to my hat works great for that.
I've got a 6th-gen Nano in the car for podcasts. The iPhone Podcasts app is shite, so I prefer the nano.
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I did. I bought a Nano just a month ago to use with my Airpods, since my 6th gen doesn't have bluetooth. But the podcast app on it sucked, so I returned it.
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I had to get another one, but I used Amazon to get a used one because iPod Nano generation 2 was great and just what I wanted. Especially from 5th generation on they had so many useless features and the form factors just weren't very good for sticking in your pocket or glove box, or controlling while there's sweat in your eyes from exercising, etc.
Still though, I've never seen any podcast player that worked a well as an iPod with iTunes; everything else was clumsy and/or required manual operations.
The phone has problems though. First, it's expensive. I don't want to go jogging with one in my pocket for fear it will break, and certainy it will get a bit sweaty. And the phone is HEAVY! Ugh. And finally the user interface on the ipod nano, 2nd gen, is very easy to use, you don't have to swipe your fingerprint will on the run, or squint to see the screen in the sunlight, etc.
Today though, my ipod is in my car as the mp3 players. It works great with itunes, downloads podcosts easily and with no hassle and then my car can play those. My phone won't do that; itunes won't work with 3rd party mp3 players, and non-apple podcast programs are sucky.
I've got a 2nd gen nano and I like it. Every generation after that seems to have gone downhill. Either in an odd form factor, or with video, or losing all the buttons to be touch ony, etc. When I first got mine I thought it was a really brilliant UI, I was not searching for the manual to remember how to do certain things.
I didn't like which way the curves went on the second gens, so it was always downhill for me.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
Things falling out reminds me of President Johnson ordering pants. He wanted pockets deep enough so his pocket knife and what-not didn't fall out when he sat down. I'd go to a store; the President of the United States just called the owner of Haggar.
they also have an adapter in the box to plug in your old-style headphones
Neat! A dongle! I love dongles, those in-line boxes on the cable NEVER get in the way, sway back and forth or snag on things.
Unlike, say, headphone cords.
And of course they also have Bluetooth, which works beautifully without plugging anything in at all.
Yeah, I love that lossy Bluetooth audio compression on top of the already existing lossy MP3 compression. It just makes the music sound that much cooler.
You don't have to use MP3; iPhones can store and play back uncompressed audio. Still, you won't get high quality without an external DAC, which is yet another thing to get in the way. Listening to a portable device using Sennheisers is probably a waste of good headphones anyway. (I use Shure headphones, but I recognize the absurdity.)
Just not a big enough market any more to interest them. Other companies will continue to produce music players so long as a demand for them exists. Current options include various Sansa models from SanDisk, the Mighty player that downloads Spotify playlists, high-options like the FiiO models and the Hi-Res Walkman, and a plethora of cheap no-name players from China that you can find on eBay.
Huh. I usually prefer a looser fit for running shorts for the increased air circulation (which is what causes the wild swinging), but maybe cargo shorts with a tighter fit but breathable fabric are worth a shot. Thanks for the link at least!
They never did. All the compatibility effort is done by the makers of the players. Usually that's just the minimal effort of allowing the player to mount like a USB drive so you can drag files to it (which is exactly the same thing you do on a Windows or Linux system), and including AAC decoding support so you can play music from iTunes.
The only way that Apple could block the ability to play iTunes files would be to change the format of them. That would also break existing iPods so Apple isn't going to do that. Blocking the ability to mount the device as a file system would also break compatibility with all sorts of other devices, so again it's not going to happen.
Years ago there were non-Apple music players that would sync with iTunes. Apple no longer supports that capability for any non-Apple device, even the ones that were previously supported, and no new non-Apple device has offered iTunes synchronization for years. There is third party software that will sync non-Apple players with iTunes.