5 Apple Products Likely to Be Killed Soon
Not every Apple product is a smash hit, and even the ones that are smash hits have natural life cycles. Similarly, while individual products obviously get older and eventually become obsolete, the same can be said for entire device lineups. Press the right arrow to learn about five Apple products that might soon become things of the past.
5 iPad mini
Apple’s lineup of smaller-sized tablets seem to be on their way out. Despite rumors hinting toward an “iPad mini Pro,” Apple hasn’t refreshed the device since September 2015 with the release of the iPad mini 4. That’s largely due to declining sales and the popularity of larger iPhone devices. In fact, in May, an anonymous Apple source claimed that there is “fierce cannibalism” of several products and that the iPad mini is being “sized out of its own category” by devices like the iPhone 8 Plus. While Apple might continue to sell the aging iPad mini 4 for a while longer, it’s looking likely that the device will be the last of the iPad mini lineup.
4 MacBook Air
The MacBook Air is also being sized out of its own category. The lineup was once Apple’s thinnest and lightest, but has since been dethroned by the new 'MacBook'. Once rather revolutionary in its form factor, its relevance is obviously declining as all of Apple’s MacBooks are getting thinner and thinner — even its high-powered MacBook Pros. The MacBook Air was refreshed in March 2015, and then slightly refreshed again in 2017, however rumor has it that Apple is planning on discontinuing the product altogether.
3 iPod
Yes, the device that helped launch Apple to the top of the consumer market — and changed the entire music industry to boot — may be on its way out. Sure, Apple isn’t likely to stop selling iPods altogether any time soon, but the device’s usefulness is waning in the wake of music streaming services and smartphones becoming the dominant music-listening platform. But the current iPod touch is aging, and unless Apple does something drastic, the device’s influence in the tech world will fade entirely.
2 AirPort Routers
As Apple cements its position as a dominant smartphone giant, some of its other products are bound to float into obscurity. Among those is the company’s array of wireless routers: its AirPort lineup. Last year, it was reported that Cupertino is taking steps to slowly shut down its AirPort division to focus on more popular devices, which makes it look pretty unlikely that new iterations of Apple's wireless router will be released. Many modern Apple consumers might not even know of the AirPort lineup’s existence. And, in the future, the company will likely stop producing them.
1 iPhone SE
Sure, the iPhone SE was a surprise hit — and the form factor is still well-loved and objectively awesome. But put the iPhone SE next to the iPhone X, and the former device starts to look a bit, well, dated. Since the 4-inch form factor is still so popular, Apple shouldn’t under any circumstances completely do away with it, nor are they very likely to; but the iPhone 5-based chassis and externals are getting older, and the smaller iPhone form factor is long overdue for a refresh. Just imagine a 4-inch iPhone XSE with a larger, edge-to-edge display. Count us in.