Beginning of the End

The beginning of the end for the iPod Classic was the rise of flash storage. For years, the iPod Classic banked on a huge physical hard drive that allowed users to store massive amounts of content. Soon, however, flash storage will change that.

Experts say the real turning point will come when Apple is able to release a 128GB iPod Touch. The 128GB threshold is enough space for Apple to court most customers, even those who have a lot of music. If Apple expands the storage space of the Touch to over 100GB at next week's press event, the iPod Classic's 10-year-reign as the world's most popular MP3 player will probably be over.

But, even if the iconic iPod Classic dies, you'll still be able to see its influence in the tech DNA of almost every device Apple sells.