While the iPod is an iconic product that helped to reestablish the Apple brand throughout the past decade, the portable media player no longer plays as significant of a role for the Cupertino-based corporation. iPod sales have steadily declined over the past few years, with 35.2 million iPods sold in 2012 compared to 50.3 million in 2010.

In the past five years, Apple has shifted its focus to the iPhone, iPad and Mac as its three dominant consumer product lines. Apple has neglected to update the iPod classic for what feels like forever, and the fifth-generation iPod touch was finally released last fall after a two-year hiatus. Okay, the iPod nano is the exception. But that thing is constantly changing.  (more…)