Apple ends production of the iconic iPod

Uthe page is turning: Apple on Tuesday announced the end of production of the iPod, its famous digital walkman that revolutionized the music industry in the early 2000s, in favor of its other flagships like the iPhone. “The spirit of the iPod lives on. We have integrated an amazing music experience into all of our products, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch,” Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of international marketing, said in a statement. “Music has always been central to Apple, and making it accessible to hundreds of millions of users like the iPod has had an impact not only on the music industry, but has also redefined the way music is discovered, listened to and shared,” he continued.

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The iPod Touch will remain available at the brand’s points of sale while stocks last, the Cupertino (California) giant said. Rectangular, white, the iPod landed on the shelves more than twenty years ago in 2001 and quickly enjoyed a strong popularity. This mp3 player and the iTunes software, also released in 2001, have thus powerfully shaken up the music world by popularizing the legal download, at a time when many sites allowed to recover movies and songs without paying a penny. Since its launch, Apple has sold almost 450 million iPods according to the specialized company Loup Ventures, cited by the New York Times. This accessory has largely contributed to making the Apple firm the juggernaut it is today, the iPod having inspired the iPhone.