Apple may have abandoned the iPod line, but many users say they don't want to let go of the iconic music player.
Audiophiles still love iPods, and so do I
The Cupertino giant recently announced that it is discontinuing the iPod touch, as its capabilities are available in many other products, such as the iPhone. The touch is the last device from the iPod brand and has not been updated since 2019. But some gadget fans say the iPod is not easily replaceable.
"One of the main reasons I prefer it over my phone is that I have a lot of songs that aren't available on streaming platforms," guitar teacher Andy Fraser told Lifewire in an email interview. "A lot of rarities, b-sides, live performances, etc., that I can't get on Spotify or Apple Music. I also feel like I listen to music differently with my iPod. I tend to play albums all the way through and get more lost in the music, whereas when I stream from my phone, I tend to jump from song to song."
The iPod wasn't the first portable MP3 player when it was introduced in October 2001, but its simple, effective design was a hit. Since then, Apple has released dozens of iPod variants, including the Shuffle, nano and touch, all of which have since been phased out.
