Apple finally kills off the iPod

Although MP3 players existed long before Apple got into the music game,  the iPod really took things up a notch. The iconic music player has evolved and improved over the years, but now after over two decades (the original model was introduced on October 23 2001), Apple has decided the iPod has had its day and announced plans to cease production.

The news has been a long time coming of course -- these days most people stream music on phones, so don’t need a standalone player -- but the announcement will sadden a lot of people. It really is the end of an era.

SEE ALSO: iPod Classic is gone, but fondly remembered

"Music has always been part of our core at Apple, and bringing it to hundreds of millions of users in the way iPod did impacted more than just the music industry -- it also redefined how music is discovered, listened to, and shared," said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. 

"Today, the spirit of iPod lives on. We’ve integrated an incredible music experience across all of our products, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch to HomePod mini, and across Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. And Apple Music delivers industry-leading sound quality with support for spatial audio — there’s no better way to enjoy, discover, and experience music."

Should you wish to buy an iPod you will still be able to do so for a while, but the clock is ticking. Apple says you can purchase the iPod touch through apple.com, Apple Store locations, and Apple Authorized Resellers but only while supplies last.