In May 2022, Apple, Inc. discontinued the final iteration of their revolutionary iPod line, the 7th generation iPod touch. In an article titled ‘The music lives on’, Apple acknowledged the huge impact of its MP3 player range while explaining that its new music services are its successor. Apple believes streaming and integrated services are how ‘the spirit of iPod lives on’.
But it’s not just the music that survives—iPod will too. iPod classic, the last model of full-size high capacity iPod, was discontinued in 2014. Yet there remains a wide and active community of iPod users who have bene able to not only maintain iPod’s place in music, but improve it.
From Radio Technical Solutions’ iFlash storage board, to Oxyl’s 30-pin USB C mod, iPod classic has been able to keep pace with the changing landscape of technology thanks to the dedication of everyday users. Devices that would have been discarded years ago due to faults and failures have been able to last longer than ever anticipated: it won’t be long before some iPod classics reach 20 years old, and still play music for hours on end.
One of the most widespread modifications done by iPod users is a battery replacement. As one of the first components to show its age, batteries are ripe for upgrading, utilising larger cells and improved technologies.
Larger batteries are available for iPod classic that are up to 5 times larger than Apple’s offering (measured by weight). Coupled with the energy-saving iFlash and Apple’s extreme power saving features in the system software, iPod classic can reach playtimes of music and video that can’t be rivalled even by modern flagship smartphones. The music really does live on and on and on.