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Tim Cook: The classic iPod HAD TO DIE, and this is WHY

Apple, er, couldn’t get parts for HDD models

Apple head honcho Tim Cook has explained why the iPod classic had to die: Apple couldn’t get the parts any more.

Cook explained to the WSJ.D Live conference in California that “the engineering work” required to sustain the spinning-platters jukebox “was massive, and the number of people who wanted it very small. I felt there were reasonable alternatives."

Fairly obvious, really. Toshiba, which produced the hard drives for the final iPods, brought out 220GB and 240GB 1.8inch ZIF drives suitable for the device, but these were two-platter designs, and Apple wasn’t a taker.

Apple introduced the hard-drive iPod in 2001, although it didn’t really take off with the introduction of USB and proper Windows support. Apple took two years to sell the first million iPods, but in the Xmas quarter of 2004 it shipped two million – and over 20 million in the following year, including low cost Mini players.

The classic hard-drive version of the iPod was last remodelled in 2007, and was last given any kind of attention in 2009. Apple removed the device from its lineup last month. But since then, prices have skyrocketed.

Nostalgia tech

Seventh generation iPods with 160GB are trending at £346.40 on eBay as of the time of writing. (“the median price based on sales of this product in the same condition from all listings on ebay.co.uk in the past 14 days”). That's almost double (93.5 per cent) of the £179 which was the going rate a few weeks ago. Over on Amazon, hopeful sellers are asking as much as £650.

So if you have an old one knocking about, now is the time to get it down from the attic. Reputable repairers should be able to provide you with a new battery for your old one.

Apple continues to sell solid-state based Touch, Nano and Shuffle music players. The entire iPod line brought in under £1bn in revenue in the 2013 Christmas quarter – a lot for anyone else, but not for Apple. ®

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