- iPods are actually thought-about “classic retro tech” as a substitute of the hip new MP3 gamers they as soon as have been.
- Apple formally discontinued the iPod line, the ultimate mannequin being the iPod Contact, final 12 months.
- Two discontinued fashions from the early 2000s lately bought out on City Outfitters’ web site.
Apple’s iPod line, which formally went out of manufacturing final 12 months, is now thought-about classic within the eyes of tech retailers.
Classic tech seller Retrospekt listed “refurbished and restored” fifth-generation iPods — the classic-looking fashions and not using a touchscreen – on the market on way of life retailer City Outfitters’ web site. Retrospekt described the iPod as a “real piece of classic retro tech” outfitted with a brand new battery and 129 gigabytes of flash storage.
It is unclear what number of the corporate had in inventory, however the units are already bought out.
That particular iPod mannequin was initially launched by Apple in 2007 and retailed for about $249 on the time. Greater than 15 years later, it was priced at $349 on City Outfitters, in line with Quick Firm.
The primary iPod debuted in October 2001, and it grew to become one of the vital in style devices of the twenty first century. Now, it is turn into a possible collectible for classic tech fanatics and Gen Zers seeking to depend on smartphones much less.
The primary-generation Apple iPod Mini was additionally listed on the location for $199, additionally refurbished, and likewise bought out. The identical mannequin is listed on eBay for practically $4,000 in new situation.
In Could 2022, Apple introduced that the final remaining iPod on its product line — the iPod Contact — would solely be bought whereas provides lasted. Sixteen years earlier than the corporate ended its manufacturing, the iPod line accounted for round 40% of Apple’s income on the time.
One overview on City Outfitters’ itemizing described the fifth-generation iPod as “overpriced out of date tech.” Insider was unable to confirm if all eight evaluations below the gadget are from clients who really bought an iPod.
“And now it turns up on city outfitters for a similar value 30 years in the past? tim apple have to be handing over his grave,” one other reviewer wrote.
City Outfitters mentioned its goal clients are “younger adults aged 18 to twenty-eight” in an annual report from earlier this 12 months.
The late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, who returned to guide the corporate after being ousted by Apple’s board earlier in his tenure, famously introduced new iPods on stage whereas carrying a black turtleneck and blue denims earlier than his dying in 2011.
Demand for iPods decreased following the iPhone’s rise to dominance within the smartphone trade, though the corporate continued promoting variations for years after the iPhone’s introduction. Each merchandise contributed to Apple’s resurgence as a tech firm.
