Irish Examiner view: iPod shuffles off this mortal coil

It was outlived by countless analogue inventions, but music fans have fond memories of the sound revolution it ushered in

The iPod — as well as the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle and its other siblings — 

Fountain pens have been with us since 1827; the Qwerty keyboard came on the scene in 1874; pneumatic tyres first made life more comfortable in 1887; the ballpoint pen, hit the mass market in 1946.

All of which underlines that old-fashioned, analogue products, to which many of us are still attached, have a considerably longer shelf life than their hi-tech, digital counterparts.

This is not to say that their revolutionary modern qualities, and the ability to command customer loyalty, are to be underestimated. It is with sadness then that we mark the end of Apple’s mp3 player the iPod, after 21 years at the centre of our affections. 

With its funky scroll wheel, 10-hour battery life, pocket-sized dimensions, and 1,000 song capacity, this was a product for the personalised, on-the-move, shareable age in which we lived. Over 400m units were sold and will now only be available “as long as stocks last”.

All of its functions have been usurped and integrated into modern smartphones which are more versatile, but in many ways, less lovable. More of an intruder than a listening companion.

So, goodbye loyal friend, with your seven generations of siblings: Touch, Mini, Nano, and Shuffle. Some of us will stay loyal to your memory and the thousands of hours of entertainment you delivered at the swipe of a finger.