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This week Apple announced the discontinuation of the iPod, one of its most popular products that has revolutionized the way we listen to music.
Apple launched its first iPod Classic in 2001 with a price tag of $399, which shocked fans who had grown accustomed to using significantly cheaper portable CD players and walkmans.
Fast forward almost 21 years to today, and your old iPods could now be worth a tantalizing amount of money.
Amid news of its discontinuation, iPod listings on eBay have surged, with many sellers asking huge sums of money for their retro devices.
Speaking to MailOnline, James Andrews, personal finance editor at money.co.uk, said: ‘With iPods coming to a halt you might be wondering if it’s time to take advantage of some of your old technologies.
‘The first thing to say is don’t get excited about the list prices on ebay. While a few models sell for thousands, the vast majority sell for far less.
“But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a reasonable amount. Do a search and check recent sale prices for models like yours to see what you’re likely to get.
‘In general, the best prices go to iPod Classic models, in very good condition and with all the necessary cables included. If you’re lucky enough to have an unopened 2004 U2 Special Edition iPod in the back of a closet, it could fetch you thousands.’
From the original iPod Classic to the brightly colored iPod Mini, here’s how much your old Apple gadgets could be worth.
Amid news of its discontinuation, iPod listings on eBay have surged, with many sellers asking huge sums of money for their retro devices.
Classic iPod
The first iPod Classic was launched in October 2001 and was priced at $399, with six additional generations on sale through 2008.
If you have a first-generation iPod Classic in the back of one of your drawers, you might be in for a treat.
Yesterday, a 1st Generation iPod Classic 5GB sold on eBay for $1,599 with an additional shipping of $114.60 – a 330% increase over the original price!
Newer generations are also popular on eBay, with a seventh-generation iPod Classic selling in April for $1,388 and another in February for $1,045.
An ambitious seller listed his first-generation iPod Classic on eBay in 2019 for $19,995 (£15,367), although it’s unclear how much the item actually fetched.
iPod Mini
The iPod Mini, launched in 2004, was slightly smaller than the iPod Classic and came in a range of bright colors.
At $249, it was slightly more affordable than its predecessor, making it a popular choice among Apple fans.
Unfortunately, the iPod Mini isn’t worth a whopping sum yet, if the items sold on eBay are to be believed.
On May 3, a second-generation iPod Mini was sold on eBay for $324.99, while a first-generation device only sold for $290 in March.
iPod shuffle
Apple released its first screenless iPod in 2005, in the form of the iPod Shuffle, which started at just $99.
Like the iPod Mini, it seems that the iPod Shuffle hasn’t grown hugely in value.
A first-generation iPod Shuffle sold for just $129.99 when it sold on eBay in February, while a second-generation device sold for a whopping $199.99 in March. .
Apple released its first screenless iPod in 2005, in the form of the iPod Shuffle, which started at just $99.
Ipod nano
The iPod Nano was also launched in 2005, priced at $149, and was considered a huge upgrade over the Shuffle, thanks to its color display for album art.
This device has more than doubled in value, according to recent eBay auctions.
In March, the second generation iPod Nanos were sold for $399.99 and $382.47.
The iPod Nano was also launched in 2005, priced at $149, and was considered a huge upgrade over the Shuffle, thanks to its color display for album art.
Ipod touch
While many of us take touchscreen devices for granted, the iPod Touch was revolutionary when it was launched in 2007.
The $299 device could surf the web when connected to Wi-Fi and had 8GB of storage for songs, photos and apps.
If you have an iPod Touch at home, you’ll be pleased to know that it seems to have skyrocketed in value.
In March, a fourth-generation iPod Touch sold for a whopping $6,524.07 – a whopping 2,081% increase over the original price – while a sixth-generation device sold in April for $3,470.
If you have an iPod Touch at home, you’ll be happy to hear that its value has skyrocketed
Why Apple is abandoning the iPod?
An Apple spokesperson says the iPod redefined the way music is discovered and heard, and its spirit “lives on” in other devices.
“Music has always been at our heart at Apple,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing.
“Bringing it to hundreds of millions of users like the iPod has impacted more than the music industry – it has also redefined the way music is discovered, listened to and shared.
‘Today, the spirit of the iPod lives on. We’ve built an incredible music experience into all of our products, from iPhone to Apple Watch to HomePod mini, and on Mac, iPad and Apple TV.
“And Apple Music delivers industry-leading sound quality with support for spatial audio – there’s no better way to enjoy, discover and experience music.”
APPLE’S BILLION-DOLLAR RISE
The company’s journey to the top of the tech industry has been a checkered one, having seen Jobs (pictured right in 1976) leave the company in the mid-1980s after his pet project, the first Macintosh computer, had struggling and that he tried to oust then-general manager John Sculley. Wozniak is pictured on the left
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne started the company on April 1, 1976 as they began selling computer kits to hobbyists, each built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC designed for the mass market.
nineteen eighty one: Jobs became president.
1984: The Macintosh was featured during a Super Bowl commercial break and later officially unveiled at a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the company.
1987: Apple releases the Macintosh II, the first color Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001 at an event in Cupertino and could hold up to 1,000 songs.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh on February 6, 1984 in California.
Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs with the iPhone
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad has been unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, ceding the title of CEO to Tim Cook. Job died in October of pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After buying Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks during an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California.
2016: Apple returns to its roots and announces the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the company is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shooting after carrying out a deadly attack in December in San Bernardino, California, with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge display design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the face of the phone owner.
2018: In a first for the company, Apple is introducing new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was sparked by a strongly worded shareholder letter that urged the company to tackle the growing problem of smartphone addiction among children and teens.
2019: In January, Apple announces its first drop in revenue and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed the sharp drop in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all physical stores outside of China in response to the coronavirus.
