Remember back in the day, about ten years ago, when the iPod was the biggest thing in the tech world? It certainly didn’t bring in as much money as computers, but it was the first really sexy tech gadget, the one that everyone had to have. (One could argue that the Walkman was also sexy, but I don’t think it was the same. Back in those days, the Walkman, and other portable cassette players, were more utilitarian.)
Yesterday, following the launch of Apple Music, Apple removed the iPod from the navigation bar on the company’s website, adding a Music entry instead (replacing iTunes as well).
The iPod page is still there, and you can still buy three different types of iPods. Also, the Apple TV shows up on that page. But it’s hard to find; you can get to it through the Music page, near the bottom.
iPod is still in the Apple Store’s navigation bar; because Music isn’t something they sell in that store. You can Shop iPod, and Shop Apple TV. But as far as Apple is concerned, the iPod is the past.
The removal of the iPod from the navigation bar makes the end of the era. For many years, this was Apple’s most noticeable product, the one that turned Apple into a global brand selling more than just computers. But, like every tech gadget, its life is limited, and it has been superseded by the iPhone and iPad. With streaming music now the hot topic, you technically don’t need much storage, assuming you have a data plan that lets you download what you want.
But that’s another story…
The iPod may be gone, but it’s not forgotten. We wouldn’t have gotten here without it.