The seventh generation iPod touch officially turned 1,000 days old yesterday. However, there are no signs of a successor. Is that it for the iPod?
In May 2019, Apple introduced the seventh generation iPod touch. It has now been 32 months since its launch, making it the oldest device in Apple's product range. Apple's next oldest device still being sold is the AirPods Pro, which was launched in October 2019 and is now 847 days old. Side note: A successor to this is due to be introduced by the end of this year. The iPod touch is Apple's cheapest iOS device, starting at €229. With its 4-inch Retina display, it is also the smallest iOS device and the only remaining iOS device with a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
iPod touch: Last major update was 10 years ago
The iPod touch is a popular entry-level device in the Apple ecosystem, especially for kids, and is also widely used in retail stores due to its price and form factor. Interestingly, the seventh generation iPod touch was a very minor update, featuring the A10 Fusion chip from the iPhone 7 and, for the first time, a 256GB storage option. All other aspects of the device, including camera specs and color options, were the same as the previous sixth generation iPod touch. As for major updates, the iPod touch was last redesigned nearly 10 years ago, coinciding with the iPhone 5 in 2012. Since then, it has received two minor updates in 2015 and 2019.
Future of the iPod brand remains questionable
When looking at the Apple devices the company has sold the longest, the seventh-generation iPod touch is still a long way from the 2013 Mac Pro, which went 2,182 days without an update until the launch of the modular Mac Pro in 2019. Incidentally, the iPod touch is the only iPod product Apple still sells after the iPod nano and iPod shuffle were discontinued in July 2017. Despite the hopes of some iPod enthusiasts and the wish for the possible nostalgic revival of the classic iPod design with the click wheel, there are no rumors of an eighth-generation iPod touch or any new iPod models at all, meaning the future of the entire iPod brand and product line remains in question. (Image: Apple)
