Unlike the iPhone, this Cheapest Apple device has not been updated in over a 1000 days!

The iPhone gets an updated model every year. However, this cheapest Apple device has not been updated in more than 1000 days. Check what it is.

Unlike the iPhone, the cheapest iOS device has not received an updated model in more than 1000 days. Find out what it is. (Reuters)

Apple has a basket of products including the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, MacBook and more. And the company is known for consistently releasing newer versions of the products almost every year with improved hardware, latest technology upgrades and better functionality. However, it isn't true for all products. There is one Apple device that has not seen an updated model in more than 1000 days, or almost three years. It is the seventh-generation iPod touch, which was released in May 2019 and is priced starting Rs. 19,600. Interestingly, it is also the cheapest iOS device (a device operating on iOS) and the oldest Apple product which is still part of its active lineup. So, what happened? Will there be another iPod touch or will this iconic product be removed from the Apple catalog? Read on to find out.

The seventh-generation iPod touch is iconic for not just being the oldest active Apple device or the cheapest iOS device but also for a number of reasons. For example, it is the only iOS device with a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also has the second smallest screen of 4-inch (after Apple Watch). The device was also very popular among kids and had some handy features including Apple arcade, which made the device more than just for listening music. Also, let's not forget how popular the iPod used to be back in the days when music streaming was still not a thing. But, with so many cool features and a strong brand value, why have we not seen another iPod touch?

iPod touch goes without an update for more than 1000 days

Many people expected a newer iPod device to be launched in 2021. But that did not happen. It also seems unlikely that Apple will include it in this year's lineup, although we cannot not really rule anything out when it comes to Apple. The question is why has it gone so long without a newer model in the first place? And there are some obvious reasons. Storing songs on a device is not really popular with so many streaming platforms available. Further, owning a device purely for music and podcast may also not be appealing to consumers since they can do all of it on their smartphone. In many ways, the iPhone market has definitely eaten away a large share of the iPod market. But is all hope gone? Well, not entirely.

The 6th generation iPod touch was launched in 2015 and it was not until 4 years later in 2019 till the next upgrade was released. Following the same logic, the 8th gen iPod touch could be launched next year. From a utility standpoint, an iPod may not have much to offer but it could still be a useful device targeted at kids who want a device for entertainment but parents do not want to give them a smartphone. For the sake of novelty, limited use case and keeping the iPod brand alive, Apple might be taking the less frequent release strategy. So, who knows? Maybe the next iPod is just a year away and will be launched with the iPhone 15 series. One can hope!