Apple continued to upgrade the iPod over the years and it gained features such as a color screen and video playback and for a while it seemed like the iPod would always be Apple's flagship gadget. But then the iPhone arrived in 2007.

The practically button-less touchscreen phone soon became the standard for the design of most iDevices. Apple introduced the iPod Touch the next year for those who wanted the sleek new interface without the AT&T contract. The interface made its way to the iPad (largely derided at launch as just a big iPod Touch) and even to a tiny one-inch screen on the newest generation of iPod Nano. The iPod Classic hung around for those who wanted a dedicated music player but Apple had finally released a device that would outshine the classic MP3 player.

Last Legs

In recent years, the iPod Classic's sales numbers have dropped off as younger, sexier Apple gadgets, such as the iPhone and iPad, have become more popular. As more consumers put their music on their phones and tablets, or even stream it using services such as Spotify, the iPod seems increasingly out-dated.

Still, the iPod Classic moves enough units to hold its place in the iDevice line. But Apple's interest in the device has waned--in fact, Apple hasn't even refreshed the iPod Classic's hardware since September 2009, which is basically an eternity for an Apple product.