iPod discontinued by Apple

I-P said:
Well let's hope the vibrant music industry it and the internet killed will now return, but it won't.
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On the contrary, I think the Internet and iPod (and portable digital players in general) have saved the music industry. After all, I'd hardly expect the kids these days to drag around a Walkman with a pile of cassette tapes. Or Minidiscs (I loved my Minidisc player as a kid). Maybe we should all just go back to wind-up gramophones?

Why do you think the Internet killed the industry? It's weakened record labels to some extent but if I look out there, there are more artists creating music than at any point in Human history and it's just there. I don't have to traipse around a record store looking for the last copy of some 7" single. Instead, I can go on iTunes and buy the track straight away. Sure, the individual margins are smaller - but the potential purchase volume is so much higher and the cost of reproduction is essentially nil.

It's not the Internet's fault that all of the major labels completely failed to react to a new business paradigm. Apple created the iTunes store in 2003 (others did similar ventures) and made an absolute killing on it. Why? Because none of the majors had even thought to do something like that and instead spent years afterwards still trying to push physical sales - cutting off their nose to spite their face.

@criz p. critter Adobe issues are one of the few things that make me shudder when I get them at work. Absolutely awful software.
 
No problem with me. It had its time. I had a 1st gen iPod nano, which introduced me to podcast subscriptions. But when I got my 1st iphone, that was it.
 
If we want to delve, Spotify's pricing model for artists is highly problematic so if you prefer to stream, it's worth looking at the different services and working out which one pays the artists the best. I still prefer to download my own copies of things in most cases anyway for the inevitable 'holiday in Wales where there's no signal' but streaming opens a whole kettle of bananas.
 
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More pressingly for me, I found out on Tuesday that my 35 year old Technics CD player that could read and play CDs but just not skip tracks, now won't even recognise that a CD is inserted 😞. I went on to play some records through the hi fi and couldn't justify getting the volume above 2.5, such is the power and pure grunt built into old audio gear. I no longer have an excuse not to buy a CD player off eBay as the clock is probably ticking.
 
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Mediocrefunkybeat said:
On the contrary, I think the Internet and iPod (and portable digital players in general) have saved the music industry. After all, I'd hardly expect the kids these days to drag around a Walkman with a pile of cassette tapes. Or Minidiscs (I loved my Minidisc player as a kid). Maybe we should all just go back to wind-up gramophones?

Why do you think the Internet killed the industry? It's weakened record labels to some extent but if I look out there, there are more artists creating music than at any point in Human history and it's just there. I don't have to traipse around a record store looking for the last copy of some 7" single. Instead, I can go on iTunes and buy the track straight away. Sure, the individual margins are smaller - but the potential purchase volume is so much higher and the cost of reproduction is essentially nil.

It's not the Internet's fault that all of the major labels completely failed to react to a new business paradigm. Apple created the iTunes store in 2003 (others did similar ventures) and made an absolute killing on it. Why? Because none of the majors had even thought to do something like that and instead spent years afterwards still trying to push physical sales - cutting off their nose to spite their face.

@criz p. critter Adobe issues are one of the few things that make me shudder when I get them at work. Absolutely awful software.
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Good points, and I agree with some of them, but you haven't changed my mind. I still stand by what I said. 🙂
 
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criz p. critter said:
everything used to just work... (That was the basic friggin philosophy behind the whole company, fer chrissakes! )
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When they pushed out Steve early on, he didn't forget that and then played everything close to the chest when they lured him back. As a result, Apple is filled with amazing people who can execute some very complex ideas and visions, but there's no one there with the creative vision for them to execute. Look at everything they've put out since he died, it's just bigger, smaller, shinier, or in a new box/case but none of it contains any real innovation.
 
someguy01 said:
When they pushed out Steve early on, he didn't forget that and then played everything close to the chest when they lured him back. As a result, Apple is filled with amazing people who can execute some very complex ideas and visions, but there's no one there with the creative vision for them to execute. Look at everything they've put out since he died, it's just bigger, smaller, shinier, or in a new box/case but none of it contains any real innovation.
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A counter-example? The M1 processor. A huge leap forward in computing power, especially in terms of scalability and performance-per-Watt.
 
Mediocrefunkybeat said:
Why do you think the Internet killed the industry?
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The interwebs have been slowly killing the corporate portion of the industry, and good riddance. In turn they have allowed the independent artist to thrive. You no longer have to look right for the label, or make sure that you produce that radio hit/mtv hit for contract purposes. No longer does a label take most of your earnings and control the distribution of your music.
The interwebs have given expansive new amounts of music and ideas because of the lack of limitations.
Are some nostalgic for the days of the label owning all your music and making a fortune syndicating it and distributing it while you beg for quarters?
 
dcrigger said:
Sorry I don't see how this is that big of a deal. Am I missing something? Because we just use any 2nd hand, used, discarded (possible even our own) iPhone as a fully functional iPod?
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Yes, that’s true, but as I said I’m apparently a niche user. I have preferences for how I use my devices. Phone is mainly for calls, texts, maps, and a few apps.(And internet when I’m out and need to quickly look something up.) But I prefer to browse on a larger screen like my desktop or iPad. No music on my phone either. I don’t like wearing earbuds. I use my iPod mainly in the car, because it’s big enough to hold all my music, and it interfaces perfectly with the car.

It’s the way it is these days, that everything is more ephemeral than ever. But Apple has really lead the way in ruthlessly forcing us to change and adapt to constant new hardware and senseless tweaks in their various UIs.

But ultimately I’m always pragmatic about things, and it’s clear that at some point I should just buy a phone with 256gb, and transfer all my music to it. But it won’t interface with my 2010 Mini anymore. Huh… guess I’ll have to buy a new car that’ll work with my new phone.

Here’s the whole point: I’m an intelligent guy who likes to find devices and ways to use them that work in my life, the way I want them to. More and more, I am not able to choose the way I use them. The choices get narrower and get taken away too quickly. Apple has really pushed that business paradigm on the world, and it’s hard not to get pushed along with it.
 
criz p. critter said:
Yes, that’s true, but as I said I’m apparently a niche user. I have preferences for how I use my devices. Phone is mainly for calls, texts, maps, and a few apps.(And internet when I’m out and need to quickly look something up.) But I prefer to browse on a larger screen like my desktop or iPad. No music on my phone either. I don’t like wearing earbuds. I use my iPod mainly in the car, because it’s big enough to hold all my music, and it interfaces perfectly with the car.

It’s the way it is these days, that everything is more ephemeral than ever. But Apple has really lead the way in ruthlessly forcing us to change and adapt to constant new hardware and senseless tweaks in their various UIs.

But ultimately I’m always pragmatic about things, and it’s clear that at some point I should just buy a phone with 256gb, and transfer all my music to it. But it won’t interface with my 2010 Mini anymore. Huh… guess I’ll have to buy a new car that’ll work with my new phone.

Here’s the whole point: I’m an intelligent guy who likes to find devices and ways to use them that work in my life, the way I want them to. More and more, I am not able to choose the way I use them. The choices get narrower and get taken away too quickly. Apple has really pushed that business paradigm on the world, and it’s hard not to get pushed along with it.
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Oh I hear you - I use a dedicated iPod 160gig in my car. So no, I'm not suggesting using your phone for this - I'm saying you can use a different phone as a replacement device for an iPod - as I will do once my iPod Classic dies. There's no reason to have to use any of the other functions of the phone - just use it as an audio player.

My point being that I don't really see it as a narrowing of choices as just a consolidation of features that keep prices down. One all purpose device tends to be cheaper to a mass produce then multiple single feature devices.

.... Though as I write this, I can say I know how well a phone-as-ipod will interface with any car's built-in stereo system. I can control my iPod tuck in the glove box via controls on my car stereo and can browse the song directory, etc. from the car's screen. That's just plug and play with the iPod - it may not be with the phone... though I would be surprised if it wasn't.
 
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someguy01 said:
When they pushed out Steve early on, he didn't forget that and then played everything close to the chest when they lured him back. As a result, Apple is filled with amazing people who can execute some very complex ideas and visions, but there's no one there with the creative vision for them to execute. Look at everything they've put out since he died, it's just bigger, smaller, shinier, or in a new box/case but none of it contains any real innovation.
Click to expand...
While I agree that Apple is different without Steve - but I can't dismiss what they accomplished since Steve's passing either. The Apple Silicon project - basically Apple returning to RISC processing and producing their own chips) has been amazing to witness. Their crusade to protect consumer's privacy has been groundbreaking. The continued and increasing connectivity between devices. The AI photography stuff - which I barely use except in the most mundane ways. But to be able to scan documents with my phone by just laying them on the table and snapping a picture (at any angle) and instantly getting a straightened out, flat, clear pdf is one of hundreds of non-shiny, non-cosmetic productivity improves that keep being added each year.

So no, Apple's up to way more than just cosmetic improvements. IMO
 
Had one in the mid 2000's, it was hot stuff back then. But since bigger micro SD cards got common and cheaper, as well as streaming, I don't think I've used an iPod since maybe around 2010. Haven't seen any in stores around here either for a long time... With Spotify I have all what I really need, even in the car. No problem adding mp3's or other file formats either, with a ton of apps to sort it if you want to. And I just feel it's more convenient with one device for everything. I don't have to sync it up with iTunes, etc. Sad news for those that really loved them still, but I don't think it is really many left by now...
 
dcrigger said:
While I agree that Apple is different without Steve - but I can't dismiss what they accomplished since Steve's passing either. The Apple Silicon project - basically Apple returning to RISC processing and producing their own chips) has been amazing to witness. Their crusade to protect consumer's privacy has been groundbreaking. The continued and increasing connectivity between devices. The AI photography stuff - which I barely use except in the most mundane ways. But to be able to scan documents with my phone by just laying them on the table and snapping a picture (at any angle) and instantly getting a straightened out, flat, clear pdf is one of hundreds of non-shiny, non-cosmetic productivity improves that keep being added each year.

So no, Apple's up to way more than just cosmetic improvements. IMO
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It is a strange World where I honestly believe that the two technology companies that I trust the most are Apple and Microsoft. But there you go.
 
dcrigger said:
My point being that I don't really see it as a narrowing of choices as just a consolidation of features that keep prices down. One all purpose device tends to be cheaper to a mass produce then multiple single feature devices.
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I agree with your point. All companies have to find the sweet spot where they can control costs and make a profit. Too bad many of them don’t pass the savings down to us. And Apple is the poster child in that department.

Wouldn't it be an amazing thing if obscenely rich corporations like Apple knocked a bit off their sticker prices, and earned maybe 5% less in profits per year? But now we're getting into other, larger problems with our global society, and I'm too tired to talk about that. I think I'm going to go lay down for a while.
 
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dcrigger said:
While I agree that Apple is different without Steve - but I can't dismiss what they accomplished since Steve's passing either.

So no, Apple's up to way more than just cosmetic improvements. IMO
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Oh definitely, they are still making great products! Maybe not insanely great... That probably can be said to have died with Jobs. But pretty damn great, and always beautifully designed. I'm currently (and impatiently) waiting for my Studio Ultra to arrive. I've had the Studio Display for 4 weeks already, but the Ultra's original ship date was pushed back. Should be here be next Wednesday, unless it gets bumped again.

I've been nursing along a bunch of "cheese grater" Mac Pros for a few clients for the last few years. Looks like I can finally start retiring those old workhorses. Can't wait to get my hands on my first Ultra...
 
Mediocrefunkybeat said:
It is a strange World where I honestly believe that the two technology companies that I trust the most are Apple and Microsoft. But there you go.
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Yeah, me too... plus Adobe. Very strange, considering those three are also the source of so much frustration and anger most every day of my life. Go figure.
 
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