iPod: Even the last Nano and Shuffle are “obsolete”

Apple had already officially withdrawn its iPod nano and iPod shuffle from the market in 2017. Now the company’s last two genuine MP3 players are officially “obsolete”, meaning they are no longer repaired willingly or even for money by the manufacturer and its service companies. This is according to Apple’s update last week List of officially discontinued models Outside.

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iPod Touch is still partially repairable

This means that almost all iPod models are now “obsolete”, except for three models: the iPod Touch 4G, 6G, and 7G. While 4G and 6G are now “classic”, so with luck you can still get spare parts, 7G is still officially repaired (for a fee). On the other hand, 5G has already fallen out of overall support – why 4G wasn’t there was already unclear.

Apple took a gradual approach to the demise of the iPod. First introduced seven years ago were the iPod nano and iPod shuffle models, which were used primarily for music playback (as well as some specialized functions on the nano). The end of the iPod touch, which was actually an iPhone with a slimmed-down mobile phone component, comes in spring 2022. Apple apparently had no commercial interest in the device, which was only maintained sporadically for a long time.

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iPod: Even the last Nano and Shuffle are “obsolete”

iPod from 2001

What does “obsolete” mean specifically?

“Obsolete” in Apple language means that there is virtually no possibility of being repaired by Apple or its official repair partners (Apple Authorized Service Provider, ASP), because no spare parts are in stock anymore. If you want to get your Shuffle or Nano repaired, you need a free workshop with access to (used) spare parts. On the other hand, “VINTAGE” means that there may be at least certain repair options, provided Apple still has spare parts. The company generally keeps batteries available for a decade after they go on sale, but there is no obligation to do so, especially for peripherals such as iPods.

Finally: In some countries, such as France, repairs take a long time due to local laws. Typically, equipment initially becomes “old” five to seven years after it ceases to be sold and then becomes “obsolete” after more than seven years. However, there are always exceptions. However, the iPod has long been replaced by the iPhone, which Apple announced in 2007 as a combination of telephone, multimedia iPod, and Internet communicator.

(B.Sc.)