Deal Site Writes iPod's Obituary, Claims Convergence Devices are Pallbearers

It wasn't that long ago that Apple's iPod line sold like gangbusters, taking the MP3 player market by storm and creating a frenzy that other companies have been unable to replicate. Fast forward to 2012, a time when iPad and iPhone sales are booming, and some are wondering if the iPod is on the verge of obsolescence.

A peek at Apple's latest financial report reveals that iPod sales are down 10 percent sequentially and have dropped 17 percent in the past nine months. Monetarily, Apple notes that "iPod net sales decreased by $256 million and $1.6 billion during the third quarter and first nine months of 2012, respectively, representing decreases of 20 percent and 24 percent compared to the same periods in 2011, respectively." Apple said the slumping sales "reflect the general contraction of the overall market for MP3 players."


This is reflected in the scarcity of iPod promotions on deal sites. While it's common to find discounted tablets, notebooks, and other electronics gear, Deal News notes that this past holiday season saw 50 percent fewer iPod deals compared to one year prior.

"And whereas the iPod has generally been a highly sought-after device any time of the year, this summer we noticed a 5 percent decline in clicks (which we equate with interest) for iPod deals compared to the number of clicks we saw over the holiday season. So not only are iPod sales slowly winding down, but even reader interest in the iPod is beginning to weaken," Deal News notes.

The good news for deal-hunting iPod shoppers is that even though deals are fewer and far between, they're usually accompanied by more aggressive price drops.