In honor of the iPod Shuffle

For some , it's still strange to see Apple manufacturing and distributing the iPod Shuffle in its official stores . This small device was first unveiled over ten years ago, on January 11, 2005; at that time, its flash memory had a capacity of 512 MB, which was expanded with subsequent generational upgrades.

Currently, the iPod Shuffle being sold is the fourth generation , with a 15-hour battery life and the capacity to store between 400 and 500 songs. We wonder: How is it that, despite all its other siblings from the brand, the iPod Shuffle remains relevant? How does it continue to sell? Kirk McElhearn of Macworld answers: "It's because the iPod Shuffle only plays audio and nothing else ."

“I’ve owned several iPod Shuffles over the years, and even when I use my iPhone to listen to audio files, music, or audiobooks, I still find the same use for the Shuffle , whether I’m walking down the street or on the treadmill at home,” McElhearn says. “It’s still a popular accessory among people who are always active.”

We could say that the device that would steal the spotlight from the little Shuffle, being also a small device with a large storage capacity and offering various useful functions, is the newer Apple Watch. But the Watch, in comparison, lacks some of the Shuffle 's durability ; besides, it's somewhat more expensive, and what ultimately convinces us about our article is its defining characteristic as an audio device and nothing more . Interestingly, the Apple Watch doesn't support audiobook playback, which makes the iPod Shuffle, for the time being, the preferred option for those who enjoy listening to audiobooks.