There’s a lot of speculation circling Tuesday's big announcement from Apple. The most obvious predictions stem from the hardly secretive iPhone 5 -- or 4S depending on whom you ask. But the total lack of hype surrounding the iPod Shuffle and Classic has some tech bloggers concerned.
“I'm a little worried for the iPod. The poor guy has been out of the limelight for years now, desperately vying for attention against the iPhone and iPad,” wrote Donald Bell of CNET. “Now, press invites for Apple's October 4 event have gone out, and there's no mention whatsoever of the iPod.”
Victor Agreda, Jr. of TUAW.com took the news a bit further, suggesting sources have offered the website staff a more definitive outlook: “It's a good time to tell you all what we've heard," he said. "It seems that the ‘product transition’ Apple mentioned on the last earnings call could very well be within the iPod line. Specifically, if you want to buy an iPod shuffle or iPod classic from Apple, you should do it sooner rather than later. We've heard those two iPods are getting the axe this year.”
Oct. 4 is now only a day a way so consumers don’t have long to anticipate an official word from Apple. It’s possible the lack of hype is an overcomplicated way to drum of sales for the aging products. But without much change to the iPod Classic in over 10 years, and as Bell pointed out, iPods making up only eight percent of Apple’s total revenue, the termination rumors are sounding more and more credible.
Market trends aside, Agreda, Jr. pointed out perhaps the most trivial, and yet, strangely compelling reason Apple might finally say goodbye to the two legends: “If Apple killed these off, all of its iPods would have touchscreens, and something tells me it wants it that way," he said.