RIP iPod: A look back at Apple's iconic music player through the years

Apple announced earlier this week that it was discontinuing the iPod touch, as it was the last iPod still available for purchase, and its discontinuation effectively marked the end of the entire iPod line.

In an effort to get the iPod on the road, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the most famous iPod releases over the past 21 years.

Original iPod (2001)

The original iPod launched in October 2001 as a device that could carry 1,000 songs in your pocket. It became one of Apple's most iconic and recognizable products, and one of the devices that propelled Apple back to success.

The original iPod offered a hard drive with 5GB of storage and a scroll wheel that could physically turn, and it remains the only iPod to feature this design. It also has a FireWire port for connecting to a Mac and costs $399. Apple introduced a nearly identical second-generation iPod in 2002, which featured a capacitive-sensing touch wheel with click buttons on the side, and third-generation models added a more elaborate touch wheel with buttons on top. The third generation iPod also added a Dock connector.

With the fourth-generation model, launched in 2004, Apple introduced the Click Wheel, an iteration of the Touch Wheel that also included buttons. The fourth-generation model is noteworthy because Apple continued to use the Click Wheel for years to come.

iPod photo with color display The fourth-generation model was launched in late 2004. Apple expanded color display to all models after 2005, introducing iPod with iPod with color display. Both are considered part of the fourth-generation lineup.

Apple added video capabilities to the fifth-generation iPod in 2005, which was the first black iPod besides the special black and red U2 Edition iPods.

After the iPod video, Apple launched the iPod classic, followed by several versions in 2007, 2008 and 2009, all of which had similar designs. The 2009 iPod classic was the last iPod from Apple and featured a 160GB hard drive, a Click Wheel, and a widescreen color display. It existed until it was discontinued in 2014.

iPod Mini (2004)

Apple's first iPod mini, introduced in 2004, was much smaller than a standard iPod. It comes in several fun colors, including yellow, blue, pink, and gold, and has a standard click wheel.

The iPod mini didn't last long, and while there was a second-generation version in 2005, it was discontinued after that, replaced by the iPod nano.

iPod nano (2005)

The iPod nano replaced the iPod mini and is one of Apple's most interesting iPods because it has seen many major design iterations over the years.

Apple began releasing a slim aluminum-colored iPod with a Click Wheel, a color screen, and flash memory, which allowed Apple to reduce the size. The nano was replaced in 2006 by a second-generation version that featured more rounded edges, smaller dimensions, and a bright green color.

For the third-generation iPod nano, which came out in 2007, Apple took a completely different direction. This nano is commonly known as the iPod nano "Fat Man". It has a wider, shorter body with a wider display, and is available in a variety of colors.

The nano fat lasted only a year before being replaced by the once again slimmed-down fourth-generation iPod nano, which came in a rainbow of colors. It has a taller screen, a curved front and an accelerometer for a "shake" feature that lets you shake your iPod to shuffle songs.

Apple's 2009 fifth-generation iPod nano was similar to the fourth-generation model, but had a taller screen and a camera and microphone. It also comes in brighter colors, but Apple retains a wide range of color options.

The nano got a major design overhaul in 2010, with the sixth-generation version being just a screen in a square body. It used a multi-touch display instead of a click wheel, which was the version people would attach a watch band to, making it a precursor to the Apple Watch.

In 2012, Apple changed the design on the seventh-generation iPod nano, returning to the rectangular shape but retaining the multi-touch display. This era's nano looked similar to the smaller iPod touch, with a Home button and support for multiple apps. The seventh-generation iPod nano received new colors in 2015 before being discontinued in 2017.

iPod shuffle (2005)

Apple's first iPod shuffle, which preceded the second-generation iPod mini in 2005, looked a lot like the Apple TV Remote. It was Apple's first iPod without a display and had nothing but a control panel to keep the size down, plus it doubled as a flash drive.

The second-generation iPod shuffle received a major redesign in 2006, with Apple shrinking it to about half its original size and adding a belt clip. It was billed as the world's smallest MP3 player at the time, and it even had a small iPod shuffle dock that could charge it via a headphone jack. It launched in silver, but Apple eventually introduced other colors including pink, blue, green, and orange.

The iPod shuffle was redesigned again in 2009, and Apple added the ability to speak song and album names aloud using text-to-speech. In this mode, Apple removes on-device controls and instead uses headphones with a remote for playback.

In 2010, Apple decided that not having on-device controls was a bad idea and launched the fourth-generation iPod shuffle. The fourth-generation model was the last iPod shuffle, featuring bright colors, a smaller chassis, and a returning control panel.

The iPod Shuffle didn't receive any other design updates, although Apple did introduce new colors in 2015. It was eventually discontinued in 2017.

iPod Touch (2007)

The first iPod touch came out in 2007 alongside the iPhone as a more affordable iPhone alternative without cellular capabilities. It looks a lot like an iPhone with a 3.5-inch multi-touch display, and it supports WiFi, Safari integration, and apps like YouTube, Mail, Maps, and Weather.

The second- and third-generation iPod touch models had the same design, but when the ‌iPhone‌ 4 came out in 2010, Apple also redesigned the iPod touch to have a similar look. It includes a front-facing FaceTime camera, a rear-facing camera and support for iMessage, and it's available in black or white.

In 2012, Apple redesigned the iPod touch again. The fifth-generation model had a larger display and a thinner body, and it was the first iPod touch to feature bright colors. . It was released alongside the ‌iPhone‌ 5 as a pocket computer with an A5 chip.

After the fifth-generation iPod touch, the design did not change, but Apple launched the sixth-generation model in 2017 and the seventh-generation model in 2019, both using Newer chip. After the seventh-generation iPod touch was released in 2019, the device went without an update for three years until it was discontinued earlier this week.

iPod Replacement

Apple said it decided to discontinue the iPod product line because iPod functionality is now built into every Apple device, from iPhones and iPads to Macs, Apple TV , HomePod and Apple Watch.

Nearly all modern Apple devices support Apple’s Apple Music service, launched in 2015, and it’s also available on the web, Android devices, and more, making iPods redundant. Apple is selling the iPod touch while supplies last, but it's already sold out in the United States.

You may still be able to find the iPod touch from third-party retailers, but be sure to act quickly as people aim to buy the last available iPods as they sell out quickly.

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