Apple will be holding it’s annual iPod/iTunes product event this Wednesday in San Francisco at which various product updates are expected. Predictions from various sources, include:
- Updated iPod Touch with possibly a video camera
- Updated iPod Nano with possibly a video camera
- Apple will kill off the iPod Classic
The last prediction, the end of the iPod Classic, at first threw me as I thought this surely couldn’t be true. But then I realised that with the growth in sales of the iPhone and other mp3 phones, the iPod Classic sales must have been suffering and the following chart does show how sales of traditional iPods have been falling:
Killing off the iPod Classic would also help push more users towards the iPod Touch, which would further increase Apple’s revenues as the iPod Touch can download apps from the Apple Store.
I would be very sad to see the demise of the iPod Classic. I have owned four iPods over the last 6 years (a 15GB, 30GB, 60GB and a 160GB). I have to admit though that I don’t use my iPods as frequently as I used to now that I have a iPhone 3GS – I use the 60GB in my car, and the 160GB when I (rarely!) go to the gym or when I go on holiday.
I always remember the first time I saw an iPod at a party in 2002 and being blown away. What really caught my attention was the iTrip that my friend had that allowed him to stream all of music to any FM receiver. I rushed out to buy a iPod and a iTrip immediately and the rest is history.
If Apple do end the iPod Classic line, I’m going to take extra special care of my iPods as they might become collectors items one day!
