Say good-bye to the iPod nano and iPod shuffle

As noted by MacRumors, Apple has removed the iPod nano and iPod shuffle from its website and online store, leaving only the iPod touch in its iPod line-up.

The whittling of the line is no surprise. After sales peaked at 54.8 million units in 2008, only 2.6 million iPods were sold in the fourth quarter of 2014. Sales have dropped more, though Apple has grouped iPod sales under its “Other Products” category since then.

The first generation iPod nano was introduced on Sept. 7, 2005, as a replacement for the iPod mini. It was last updated in October 2012. 

The first iPod shuffle was announced at the Macworld Conference & Expo on Jan. 11, 2005. The current (fourth generation) model was introduced on Sept. 1, 2010.

The iPod touch, now in its sixth generation, debuted in September 2007. Although it hasn’t been updated since July 2015, I suspect it will live on for many years as a low-cost entry into Apple’s handheld devices. After all, not everyone (especially kids) needs an iPhone.