Surely, the iPod Classic Will be Missed

[Anthony Bouchard]

The heftiest iPod of them all, the iPod Classic; which can hold up to a jaw-dropping 160GB of media, is celebrating its tenth birthday today. It is also mourning the fact that it might be coming to an end. It seems that the iPod Classic might be headed out the door after serving quite a few years in Apple's sales arsenal. The iPod Classic was not refreshed during last Fall's iPod event.

Most people will agree that the iPod Touch is the better iPod because of the myriad of functions it can perform. Click wheel iPods simply cannot scale up to the iOS age that Apple has brought us into.



Covered here, by Phillip Swanson, is a report of Apple discontinuing click wheel games. It seems to make sense when you put two and two together. The iPod Classic is a click wheel iPod. Slowly, it seems, Apple has been trying to steer away from the older generation of iPods and into the new realm of iOS devices. Apple is certainly interested in multitouch devices - an ambition that has been illuminated through the push of gestures in Mac OS X Lion, and the consistent refresh of iPod Touches, iPhones, and iPads. The current version of the iPod nano even supports multitouch.

Another thing to consider is that the iPod Classic uses a hard disk drive for its media storage as shown here by a tear-down performed by iFixit. So far, all of the other iPod models use flash memory. Apple has even brought flash memory to its refreshed MacBook Airs which used to house a 120GB 4200-rpm hard disk drive (before the new design refresh two generations ago). Another form of memory that Apple is introducing is storage in the cloud. Apple's Macs and iOS devices all have the capability to connect to the internet to store media without using their internal storage via iCloud. Could this be another reason that Apple may be doing away with the iPod Classic?

Would you like to see the iPod classic leave Apple's racks? Share your thoughts below.

Sources: Apple, iFixit

[feidhlim1986]

To the iPod! The device that saved Apple in the 90's and allowed it to become to lawsuit swilling behemoth it is today

[Aenima133]

To the iPod! The device that saved Apple in the 90's and allowed it to become to lawsuit swilling behemoth it is today

Amen brother!

[MetallicaFan1991]

iPod Video was the best iPod created!

[Maverick00]

Dang, I've never owned a click wheel iTem, but but just the fact that I can never own one after the 4th is kind of saddening....

[Mysterion]

I would get a iPod Classic if it was $20

[teej1410]

I will miss the click wheel. That's why I have iClassic installed.

Hope they come out with 160GB iPhones and iPod Touches. Or at least 120GB

[ipodtouchman77]

The iPod classic is (excuse the pun) CLASSIC! Clickwheel was what gave the iPod it's uniqueness

[SharpieBandit]

iPod Touches are useless to me since I have an iPhone. The Classic is the only iPod that I would consider getting. Hopefully mine doesn't die on me and I can keep using it.

[bfj]

iPod Touches are useless to me since I have an iPhone. The Classic is the only iPod that I would consider getting. Hopefully mine doesn't die on me and I can keep using it.

Totally agree. That's why I have a classic.

[iSteed]

This iPod has a place in apple's arsenal... I really wish they would not eliminate this

[sziklassy]

To the iPod! The device that saved Apple in the 90's and allowed it to become to lawsuit swilling behemoth it is today

So true. So true.

[Jaywu]

I have had my 160gb ipod classic since it came out & I still love it click wheel and all!!! I've always said that the only way I would upgrade to the iPod touch is if they brought out a 160gb. Still waiting apple.

[ikesmasher]

nooo! i like a simple device that has a screen. Screw you apple :/

[Anthony Bouchard]

I have had my 160gb ipod classic since it came out & I still love it click wheel and all!!! I've always said that the only way I would upgrade to the iPod touch is if they brought out a 160gb. Still waiting apple.

160GB is not a flash storage reality. There are rumors that a 128GB might be on its way, though. Soon but not necessarily the next release.

[amyking]

really?