MacRumors has learned that Apple later this month will add the seventh-generation iPod nano to its list of Vintage and Obsolete products, officially marking the final iPod in the iconic nano lineup as "vintage."
The vintage products list features devices that have not been sold for more than five and less than seven years ago. After products pass the seven year mark, they are considered obsolete. Apple debuted a refreshed version of the seventh-generation iPod nano in mid-2015, and that was the final iPod nano that came out. Now that the device is five years old, it is being added to the vintage list.
Apple launched the first iPod nano in September 2005, and over the course of the nano's lifetime, it got several redesigns. The first iPod nano model was similar in design to a standard iPod but with a slimmer, easier to pocket shape.
The second-generation version cut down on the size and introduced bright aluminum colors, but it offered a similar design as the first iPod nano model.
The third-generation iPod nano was popularly known as the "nano fatty" for its squat, wide design, and it was the first significant design iteration that Apple made to the nano lineup.
With the fourth-generation iPod nano, Apple again cut down on the size and abandoned the wide design from the third-generation models, and the fifth-generation looked largely the same.
Another major design change came with the 6th-generation iPod nano in 2010, with Apple doing away with the iconic click wheel in favor of an all-screen design that looked a lot like the Apple Watch does today.
The seventh-generation iPod nano, which ended up being the final model that was introduced, came out in October 2012 with an iPod touch-style multi-touch display and a Home button, and the nano and touch product lines were ultimately so similar that Apple did away with the iPod nano.
Apple refreshed the seventh-generation iPod nano in 2015 to add new colors, but did not tweak the design, signaling the impending end of life for the device. The iPod nano was discontinued along with the iPod shuffle in mid-2017, leaving the iPod touch as the sole iPod that Apple sells.
While devices on the vintage list are able to receive hardware service from Apple and Apple service providers, it is subject to the availability of repair components and where required by law. Obsolete products have no hardware service available with no exceptions.
Apple is planning to officially add the seventh-generation iPod nano to the Vintage and Obsolete list on September 30, along with the 5th-generation iPod touch, originally released on October 11, 2012.
