Apple Discontinues iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle (macrumors.com) 151
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.
Background info (Score:5, Funny)
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.
Re:Background info (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah but they were a load of rubbish.
No wireless.
Less space than a nomad.
LAME.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, now I have to buy an expensive phone with way less room and use it instead. Sucks honestly. I don't need the phone bits. But at least it has a good camera. The one thing I was disappointed with in the iPod Touch was the neutered camera. Hard to find tablets with a good camera too. Not sure why they think only phones need them.
Re: (Score:2)
The iPhone uses the same DAC as the iPod, but it was crippled through software, likely to improve battery life. Anyone who was interested in music quality and had a decent pair of headphones could easily hear the difference for the exact same song played on an iPod vs an iPhone.
Too bad you don't know anything about hardware.
How in the FUCK do you "cripple" a DAC? It has exactly ONE job: Convert a number into a voltage (or current) level. That's it.
You're insane. Try looking into the EQ settings on that phone. Somebody probably fucked-around and put some sort of ridiculous "Bass Boost" EQ preset on the phone you were listening to.
Moron.
Telecommunication (Score:2)
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."
More people would buy them (Score:3)
More people would buy them if they removed the headphone jack. Maybe apple should try that.
Re: (Score:2)
I expect that to happen. About the time when Apple starts to make headphones with the iPod functions built into them.
I can imagine a headset that takes voice commands for playing music, or taking notes, or whatever. It will double as a headset for an iPhone, or pair with another Apple device. If voice commands are impossible because of noise then use a small set of buttons on the earpieces, or use your phone to control it.
Alternatively there will be enough headphones with Lightning connectors, or whateve
Re: (Score:2)
More people would buy them if they removed the headphone jack. Maybe apple should try that.
Apple does not have the courage to do such a thing. Leave it to Samsung to remove the headphone jack, first.
Re: (Score:2)
I thought it was the "iRack"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
I can't wait to see how the iRan turns out.
Re: (Score:2)
Somehow I was expecting... something else.
I would have bought the iRack 36D.
Apple Watch (Score:3)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Kids don't have a lot of money.
Re: (Score:2)
Nano market (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
And if you really want something like an iPod shuffle, there's plenty of those on eBay. Not sure they can play AAC though. Some sellers do list AAC support but it comes from a Windows-only program that converts AAC into something else for the music player.
Re: (Score:2)
Technology moves on and MP3 players without WiFi are pretty clunky in 2017.
Not to mention having less space than a Nomad. [slashdot.org]
Totally lame.
Re: (Score:2)
MP3 players without WiFi are pretty clunky in 2017
Requiring connectivity limits where you can use it and makes it a security liability once it's out of support.
A player that can store music can work for decades if replacement batteries are available. If I could get my hands on a Classic with Flash storage and an easy to replace battery, I'm set for life. If I want to stream occasionally, I have my phone for that.
Re: (Score:2)
Market for gadgets to use for decades at the expense of convenience is too small for the likes of Apple. But I am sure it can be picked up by a niche company.
Re: (Score:2)
They don't have to be made for it to be good for it.
I love my Nano (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
But Apple is still going to have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
Er what? No one from Apple is coming to your house to destroy your nano. Apple is simply not making or selling any new ones on their website. You can still get one at other retailers like BestBuy, Target, Walmart, Newegg, Amazon, eBay, etc.
Re: (Score:2)
No one from Apple is coming to your house to destroy your nano.
You would think. [gizmodo.com]
(Yes, I'm joking. Yes, I know there's a difference between an iPod nano and a prototype iPhone.)
Shuffle was combat ready (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I just tried that with a 15" MacBook Pro. You lied.
I still use both, well one at least (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Several months ago I also ran my old, square nano through the wash as well. I replaced it with the current model but boy do I miss that old form factor. I had to buy a 3rd party case in-order to clip in on and even then I had to cut the case up to get decent access to the volume buttons.
saturation (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, I remember.
Those days sucked. I had to carry a phone AND a Palm Pilot.
Expect an Apple Watch update (Score:2)
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
Re: (Score:2)
Actually in many senses the Newton was far ahead of our current smart phones.
Especially in handwriting recognition, interaction of 'Apps', the software centered around a soup of objects, the programming language (Dylan).
There are plenty of enthusiasts still using them, the prices on eBay are extreme.
Re: (Score:3)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
So I can replace $150 worth of dedicated music player with $1000 worth of bluetooth headphones, a watch, and a phone? Sign me up!
No. If you already have invested $1000 in headphones, cell phone, and fancy watch then why spend another $150 on something to do what the other things you already own can do?
Companies didn't stop making pagers because the competition made better pagers. They got out of that business because people got cell phones instead. What does an iPod Shuffle do for someone that likely already has an iPhone and/or Apple Watch? Even cameras and GPS units have the ability to play music now. The iPod Touch is so smal
Re: (Score:2)
Yes [successstory.com].
Re: (Score:2)
I should have been more specific. Do people wear wristwatches as anything other than jewelry or status symbols?
People can get a wristwatch that can keep time with incredible accuracy for less than $10. People obviously buy them since I can still see them for sale. What I don't see though are people wearing them. There's a very limited market for a watch as a mere timepiece. What there is a large market for are people that buy wristwatch like devices that are more jewelry than a time piece, or more of a
Good News for Mac Mini? (Score:1)
I'm hopeful, since this would have been the perfect time to discontinue the Mac Mini if they had no intention of updating it.
Re: (Score:3)
Maybe they're waiting for next tuesday.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm hopeful, since this would have been the perfect time to discontinue the Mac Mini if they had no intention of updating it.
Apple claimed in April that the mini was "Still a very important part of our product line-up."
They also hinted at a redesigned mini. Look for something in 2018, to coincide with the new "modular" Mac Pro.
That's a shame. (Score:3)
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.
Re: (Score:1)
Apple lost my custom for portable media players when they transitioned the Nano from a device with tactile controls to a touchscreen. I need to operate the device by touch more than I need to look at the screen and admire pretty icons.
Still surprised they managed to sell the Shuffle (Score:3)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Wallet (Score:2)
iPod Shuffle Small but important niches (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
My wife teaches spinning, and needs to keep all her music with her. The phone doesn't work because she can't tolerate a lock screen while teaching, and also doesn't want the "bing" of a text message or phone call coming in to be a distraction.
The nano would have been perfect if it had more storage. She ended up just getting the touch and leaving it in airplane mode. Compromise, overpriced for her need, but it works ok.
Hey, Apple: (Score:2)
Loved my shuffle . . . (Score:2)
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.
iPod Nano is the last great device for long runs. (Score:1)
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 ban
These small players were great. (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
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 a
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Appsolutely! (Score:4, Funny)
Apps!
Re: (Score:2)
It's probably the first time this comment has been on-topic and appropriate. Mod parent up, +5 informative.
Re: (Score:2)
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?
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:1)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:1)
Things falling out reminds me of President Johnson ordering pants [youtube.com]. He wanted pockets deep enough so his pocket knife and what-not didn't fall out when he sat do
Re: (Score:2)
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!
Re: (Score:2)
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...
Re: (Score:3)
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"?
Re: (Score:2)
I keep a dedicated music player in my car, because I can't fit enough on my phone.
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe you should have chosen a phone that suited your needs? it would probably have been cheaper than a separate device.
Re: (Score:1)
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?
Re: (Score:2)
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 mak
Re: (Score:2)
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 t
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:3)
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 i
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
As much as you need to. You are not me, nor are you anyone else.
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
I didn't like which way the curves went on the second gens, so it was always downhill for me.
My phone is too puny (Score:2)
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 may
Re: (Score:2)
Apple is discontinuing the iPod Shuffle and iPod Nano. The highest capacity iPod nano or shuffle had 16GB of storage. My phone has more than that before I add an SD card.
So please explain how my suggestion to use your phone instead of the iPod nano or iPod shuffle will negatively impact the amount of music you can carry around?
Re: (Score:2)
I can't. I was explaining that phones aren't very good as portable music players, not comparing them to iPods. Now that you mention the amusing/stunning limitations of the iPod, my argument basically just comes down to: I don't use a phone because they're just as bad as iPods. (In terms of storage. iPods have other problems, too.)
Even in 2003 my music
Re: (Score:2)
If current generation portable music players are no better than phones for capacity, then you've completely invalidated your own argument.
Maybe none of them are good enough for you, but that doesn't mean that you can simply use the one vs the other to solve the problem.
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:1)
First world problems.
Your poor kid cannot listen to music during some classes.
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Teaching opertunity. (Score:2)
Get the kid a Rasbery Pi and have him make his own Music Player.
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
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 tha
Re: (Score:2)
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 hass
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
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?
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
There are still a number of Mp3 players. or you could get a Raspberry Pi and have them make their own.
iPod touch is very close to iPhone (Score:4, Insightful)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
The iPod touch can also be important to iOS developers. A far less expensive device to test on.
My experience: if you're not buying new then it's cheaper to buy an iPhone than an iPod Touch. Probably due to market glut, I don't know, but check both before you buy. The difference was substantial when I did it most recently.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
So hand the kid your old iPhone, then if you want to activate phone service on it you can.
Re: (Score:2)
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.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
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.