RIP iPod
Apple is discontinuing its iconic device after 21 years...
Apple today announced it will stop producing iPods. Of course, this was imminent. With smartphones being omnipotent these days, who needs an MP3 player?
When the first iPod came around in 2001, the B2C electronics market was very different from what it is today. Most devices focused on one or two functions (think compact digital cameras, portable consoles, monochromatic display cellphones). The first iPhone and Android device wouldn’t launch until 2007 and 2008 respectively.
The iPod wasn’t the first portable MP3 player (that would be SaeHan’s MPMan which was released in March 1998) but its significant (at the time) 5GB capacity and intuitive interface made it particularly attractive. In 2003, the iTunes music store was launched, and this made the device even more enticing.
What can we learn from this? Form factors come and go… it’s part of the product adoption cycle and the iPod was a great device within its product class. It’s also a testament to the convenience of the smartphone which allows us to accomplish a multitude of things (including playing / streaming pretty much any song you could think of).
RIP iPod