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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.
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!
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.
Maybe they're waiting for next tuesday.
#DeleteFacebook
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.
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.
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.
So I can replace $150 worth of dedicated music player with $1000 worth of bluetooth headphones, a watch, and a phone? Sign me up!
Though I guess I can't really fault Apple for dropping it. It's not their duty to support every random long-tail use case.
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"?